Part I of the Blaque Kat Series
by ms.j
Summary: [Just reloaded an easier format to read of my first serious fan fic.] The GW boys find their paths collide with a cattish spy. Part I introduces the lovely and complex Katrina Nyle.
1. Death and the Maiden

Part I  
  
Blaque Kat  
  
The 1st- Death And The Maiden  
  
m m m m

[single "m" = new part in the story]  
  
"Here's the plan: We take out the base and the new type of mobile suits with them, while we're doing that you get the alarms down, disenable the guards, and get those disks. We need them."  
  
Trowa briefed the other four pilots, "Understand?"  
  
They nodded in agreement but Duo snorted slightly.  
  
"Yeah, I understand, but why do I have to go?"  
  
"Because we have business elsewhere." Wufei put in, an edge was on his voice.  
  
"Please! You get to kick ass in the cool battles and leave me stuck playing cat burglar?"  
  
"Come on it's a routine mission." Quatre told him, "This should be easy."  
  
"Routine my ass." He mumbled, he always had to be the pigeon!  
  
Heero spoke this time, "Besides, you need to stay out of trouble."  
  
"This is coming from you?"  
  
"Just do it." He ordered in a cold monotone.  
  
"Fine. But next time, you're going-I'll make sure of it."  
  
The dark-haired boy brushed the idle threat, "Whatever."  
  
m  
  
The tall office building sleep just like the guards did.  
  
They had pigged out on glazed doughnuts and black coffee then settled into a cozy slumber.  
  
The cameras did their job for them by watching the building and the alarms would wake them so no need to worry was there. The humming of the computer monitors seemed to be the only thing making a sound-that and the guards' snoring. One sat at the computer terminal leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his bald head, the other one sat by the door head against the wall drooling. Duo held his laugher in, sleeping like babies, no need to waste his energy on getting in.  
  
Quatre did have the goodies delivered to them an hour before hand but what ever was in them he did not care to know. Just to make sure they were out, he waved a hand in front of his face.  
  
No response.  
  
Duo punched him in the stomach.  
  
Still no response.  
  
"Wow, maybe if I stab them-" He said to himself about the switchblade but changed his mind,  
  
"Naw, it can wait." He headed for the computer and cut all power out to the building expect Room 111, his destination, then disenable the backup generators so the alarms had no way of going off. Taking a cold cup of coffee, he doused the computer with the liquid hoping to ruin it beyond repair. The camera up above was broken in two and the tapped pulled apart.  
  
Everything that was plugged up to anything was unplugged and cut. All communication was cut.  
  
Now he was confident.  
  
With the alarms and the guards out this would be cake.  
  
Duo left the post and headed down the hallway, keycard in hand . . .  
  
The oak doors for Duo and he stepped inside a luxuriously decorated corner office.  
  
"Woo," He whistled, "I'll kill for something this nice."  
  
His search wasn't too exhaustive, the locked drawer under the desk told him they were there.  
  
"Just waiting on me to whisk you away huh?"  
  
From his braid, he extracted a pin to pick the lock. It opened obediently producing a small metal case-inside were five floppies labeled "FYI-Gundam."  
  
Haha, ran through his head as he held the case in his hand.  
  
"Isn't it just like taking candy from a baby?" His mouth curled up into a smug smile.  
  
"Is it love? I'll keep that in mind."  
  
Some soft, feminine purr answered his question.  
  
What! His mind raced, how did she get in here, what was she doing? Hell, who was she?  
  
He moved for his gun-no time for questions, her breath was ticking the back of Duo's neck.  
  
Her reflection flashed in the window, she was wearing a silly grin.  
  
"Sorry love, I but need this more than you ever will."  
  
Suddenly a needle was pulled out and slammed into his back, he fell into the table trying to fight back but to no avail, she had the upper hand here. He tried grabbing for the case, but the drug started to set in, his fingers closed around string and nothing more . . .  
  
Duo Maxwell watched helplessly as she disappeared into the night in his sedated state.  
  
She pried the case from his fingers, "Well aren't you sweet? I can use these."  
  
Ten thousand dollars cash . . . a slice of the pie that was well worth savoring, well worth paying off her bounty and saving the only home she knew.  
  
"Sleep tight cutie pie."  
  
She did feel bad for the guy knocked out at her feet, his long braid tossed over his features.  
  
Not bad ones, she added, placing the case in her pocket. Maybe he did need those disks . . .  
  
Yeah, and maybe there's a cold day in Hell.  
  
Pushing any other thoughts out of her mind she made her way to the bay windows, the girl clad in a dark jumpsuit leaped gracefully out of them from five-stories.  
  
Damn, she loved her job.  
  
"Cats always land on their feet!"  
  
m  
  
He couldn't shake her as he tried shaking off the drug.  
  
Who was that chick with the power to catch his eye and off his guard?  
  
Not only was she lovely enough to steal a man's heart she stole the remaining disks that the others needed, God my head hurt he thought as he came to form his own "slumber."  
  
Potent. She was just like the drug.  
  
Heero isn't gonna to like this. The walkie-talkie began to crackle. He had a feeling who this was.  
  
"Duo, is the mission completed?"  
  
He moaned while trying to pull himself to his feet managing to get into a sitting position.  
  
"Mission complete?" The voice on the other end pressed.  
  
Oh yeah, he had to explain himself, a nervous, shaken laugh escaped.  
  
"Umm, well-see, that's a funny story . . ."  
  
"Mission completed or not?" Silence. "Dammit Duo, what the hell happened?"  
  
"I-well-" He swallowed.  
  
"If you don't tell me now I promise you I'll snatch that braid off and strangle you with it-"  
  
"Some chick stole them! I don't know who the hell she was!"  
  
"What!" Wufei cut in, "You let some weak woman steal the disk! You idiot, we needed those!"  
  
"Forget it for now Duo."Quatre said calmly, "Just report back to base and we'll figure this out."  
  
He shut it off. "Somehow."  
  
m  
  
When Duo managed to get back to the Heero's dorm room, he gave them a rundown on what happed. The others weren't happy with the news but at least Heero didn't go through with his threats. "Don't you have any idea what she looks like?"  
  
Heero demanded, this mission isn't gonna go to hell because of Duo's stupidity he told himself.  
  
He was planted in a chair with an ice pack to his forehead as the other four boys stood around him police interpretation style.  
  
"Well, she looks good." He replied sheepishly.  
  
"That's not what he means-" Quatre warned the braid-brother, Heero was a loose cannon and humor would fueled his rage more. Quatre continued, "He means a physical description. How tall was she? Hair color? Eyes? What was she wearing? Can't you remember anything?"  
  
Now what man in his right mind would forget a tall and dark lovely with ginger eyes and French manicured nails, long ebony strands done up in a ponytail that reminded him of his death scythe.  
  
But a blinding headache came on out of nowhere preventing his train of thought.  
  
"Agh! It was dark and I drugged up! How in the hell could I remember anything?"  
  
"Drugged up?" The Arabian asked. Don't tell me he went for the doughnuts.  
  
"Great, now that helps a lot. You can so pathetic sometimes, Duo, til it makes me sick."  
  
The clown gave a sorry sigh, "So we're back to square one."  
  
"That's the only we can be at thanks to somebody in this room."  
  
"Yeah, I love you guys too, how was I suppose to know there's some good-looking thief was packing anesthetics? I'm no psychic-"  
  
Heero snapped at the rest of group, "Just forget about it."  
  
Well, that was that.  
  
"He's right, let's sleep on it." Wufei ended this round of questioning. Before we all choke him.  
  
Trowa, Wufei, Quatre were going to disappear to their respective places while Heero decided to take a l-o-n-g walk. Somehow, someway it did occur to Duo that he had something of hers.  
  
Black necklace, black necklace, come on smart guy you popped her black necklace . . .  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"What is it now?" Heero rolled his eyes, the other three halted at the door.  
  
"She-she-" He fumbled around in his pocket, "she had this! I popped the string."  
  
A necklace containing an Egyptian black cat charm had the words Katrina Felicia Nyle etched into the back lied in the palm of his hand. Made of onyx and gold it dazzled the eye with its shine.  
  
Quatre was the first to examine it, he took it out of Duo's hand and held it up gingerly.  
  
"It must be her name on the back."  
  
"Nyle, Nyle, Katrina Nyle." The boy in black sang under his breath.  
  
"What should we do with it?" The blonde inquired. "It looks priceless."  
  
Wufei grinned evilly, "Wrap it around Duo's neck-"  
  
"Hey!" He protested. "I feel offered by that!"  
  
Quatre rolled his eyes, "What is something intelligent and nonviolent that we should do with it?"  
  
"Most likely she's looking for it so we should wait until she makes a move." Trowa may not have talked much, but when he did it was something useful. "Let her come to us."  
  
The Chinese boy huffed, "Just like a woman to lose something that costly."  
  
"We do nothing then," Heero took the necklace from Quatre and carefully placed it on his desk,  
  
"We wait."  
  
m  
  
A group of girls congregated around a young lady with glasses and mousey hair in a local park.  
  
"We hope you like our school Sandia, we're pleased to have you." Relena told the new girl.  
  
"All of our classmates think that your so smart." A blonde girl with a lot of pep declared.  
  
"Me? Smart? Oh come on, not me-" The girl was acting too modest for her own good.  
  
"Yes you are. We want you to feel welcomed." The other blonde reassured her.  
  
Well, I'm fitting in quite nicely, ain't I so popular?  
  
"Oh everybody likes you already! You're so nice."A redhead put in.  
  
"Really!" She exclaimed with faux surprise, she hated lying to them but they ate that story up!  
  
"Wow, I feel-welcomed, thank you Relena. I just moved here and hope to make some friends. My parents are scientists and we move around so much I can never settle down in one place."  
  
The redhead signed. "That's sooo sad. . ."  
  
The blonde continued, "But you get to travel and see so many exotic places and your parents must be so renowned as doctors."  
  
"Aww, you don't have to flatter me! I've been here for only a week"  
  
"Hey, why don't you come with us Sandia? We're going to the ice cream shop." Relena asked.  
  
"We'll love to have you." A brunette told Sandia.  
  
"Oh I would love to, but my parents wanted me to come straight home." She was met with dejected sighs and pleading, "But I promise I'll come tomorrow."  
  
"Really Sandia! See you tomorrow and thanks!" The brunette spoke last, they grabbed their belongings and proceeded to leave, "Ok, we'll see you then. Bye Sandia."  
  
Each of them waved to her. "Bye Sandia."  
  
"Bye Relena, bye Kei, bye Carol and Janey!"  
  
She waved to the disappearing girls before disappearing herself.  
  
m  
  
The spy stalked the alley for something precious . . .  
  
Something more valuable than her own name. Something worth dying for.  
  
It wasn't there.  
  
"What happened to my damn necklace!" She shrieked.  
  
The office building where she borrowed the computer disks was in ruins, after searching the place from top to bottom she finished it off.  
  
Her lime green and black Ninja motorcycle stood there untouched, maybe the self-detonating bombs disgusted in her radio had something to do with it, yet the Baset charm was gone.  
  
The tracker she recalled still worked so maybe some dumb kid would be smart enough to push it.  
  
That necklace had value, it was her life.  
  
Now though wasn't the time to worry about she told herself regretful. I'll find it, it isn't far.  
  
"Sandia" took out her laptop from her satchel and began typing, she sat there in her new school uniform going over her mission and sending the other Blaques messages.  
  
"Objective number is completed and now so is objective number two-fitting into a school environment. Objective number three will be completed very so . . . The getaway & delivery."  
  
She scanned the lush scenery briefly, allowing the pallid quiet to set in.  
  
"Erin never said it was a sin to indulge myself, think I'll be Sandia for a little while longer."  
  
Her mission (since she choose to accept it) was to get the disk and pass them off to OZ, what was on them meant big money so she didn't ask questions, but it also meant staying there on Earth and finding out any info on the Gundam rebels for one month.  
  
She recalled telling Stacie and Rachael, her sense of humor could be downright cruel:  
  
"This should be like sex, you cry about it at first but then you get over it."  
  
m  
  
Heero ran a check on the name in the necklace, this appeared on the computer screen as he read out loud to himself:  
  
Project: Tails  
  
Operative: Blaque Kat  
  
Current Alias: Sandia Nelson, local high school student on Earth  
  
Major Objectives: 1) Steal and deliver the disks2) Relate any info on enemy Gundams  
  
"Looking for something I see."  
  
Duo announced himself in the room as Heero tapped away at the computer keys.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
The computer didn't produce anything else of interest so he shut it down for the night.  
  
Thre it e sat there in all its blinding splendor, he lightly picked the shiny piece of metal up.  
  
Upon closer scrutiny a minuscule button on the side caught his attention:  
  
The necklace had a tracker.  
  
m  
  
The indicator light on her watch began to blink madly.  
  
Off. The. Chain.  
  
"So there you are my lovely, someone has found you yet."  
  
m  
  
The spy's head rolled back.  
  
Some punk left her with a sizable lump in the back of her head-great, her necklace had to end up in the criminal part of town-and her motorcycle had been unwillingly abandoned.  
  
She began to groan: "My head . . . God, my aching head, I swear I'll make this the last time I get drunk. I SWEAR I'll never mix expensive Chardonnay and cheap brandy again."  
  
Someone kicked the chair causing her to get her mind right, she wasn't passed out in her hotel room, she was in a place that held no familiarity. It felt cold, damp, and looked dark.  
  
When her vison cleared, she saw a semi-automatic aimed right between her eyes.  
  
"Good morning sweetheart, happy to see me again."  
  
A "welcoming committee" was gathered around her, each had a weapon and each of looked ready to kill, her hands and ankles were tied to a chair. Well, isn't this lovely?  
  
She bolted upright, it was the abandoned warehouse her bike was parked by.  
  
"Where am I? What in fuck am I doing here?!?"  
  
A dramatically long braid caught her eye.  
  
It hit her like bricks: YOU! You're suppose to be lying in the gutter somewhere!  
  
The spy bit her lip, if they even got a hint that she knew about that guy it'll be all over.  
  
He saved her the trouble of breaking in, but now who was going to save her from death?  
  
"First, you tell us who you are, then you tell us about the disks."  
  
The guy with the messy brown hair had an ice laced in his voice. That, and a finger on the trigger.  
  
"I'm an innocent school girl, what do I know?"  
  
"You're lying, woman." Wufei pointed out, Heero put a bullet in one of the chair's leg.  
  
The girl flinched, that bullet was an inch from her ankle.  
  
Trowa pressed calmly, "The disks madam-"  
  
I'll play their game my way.  
  
"Name's Sandia Nelson, I just moved here and what do I care about some dumb disks?"  
  
"Ly-ing." Duo teased shaking the gun.  
  
Another bullet went into the second leg, the table's leg, none of them apparently had bad aim.  
  
Dammit! They were for real. Beats of sweat collected on her forehead, getting in her eyes.  
  
"That's twice miss, the third time . . ."  
  
"Ok, okay! I'll tell you! They're in the bottom of my purse, I hid them."  
  
The platinum blonde was cut short, she didn't want to hear the third time would be for her skull.  
  
"Why do you want them?" Quatre questioned.  
  
"Because they're shiny and pretty." Was the sardonic reply she grinned wickedly.  
  
The black ponytail dude moved for his gun.  
  
"Lay off the smart comments woman, why do you want them?"  
  
This is going nowhere, you've really fucked yourself Kitty Kat.  
  
"Somebody's paying some buku bucks for the damn things and I need cash, it works out quite nicely for the two of us. Smart enough answer?" None of them were convinced. "I don't lie to a loaded gun and I'm not lying about the disks! I know that have something to do with you but-"  
  
"What did you say?" Heero spat out, his aim was at her forehead now.  
  
"I-I" She swallowed, "I said that they have something to do with you, I don't know what's on them. If you left me go, you'll get them and I'll be out of your hair."  
  
The brown-haired motioned for the others to consult with him.  
  
Katrina could only make out their smart remarks and curses, from the tone of their whispers she knew it was heated:  
  
"We don't have time for this, why don't we just blow off that woman's head?"  
  
"Cause we don't have the disks period."  
  
"Guys, we don't have to kill her-she said that she'll surrender them."  
  
"What if she's using this as a ploy?"  
  
"Then we'll make sure she has no way of telling."  
  
"And how-my Japanese friend-we will we do that?"  
  
"We'll give her our own little mission."  
  
Another exchange of words occurred before they turned back to her.  
  
The guy with the weird do spoke, "Here's the deal, you haven't hear of or seen anything about us, you'll live to tell your employer what they want to hear-but they'll be our words. Got it?"  
  
Defeat was written across her face, no amount of conning or charm or cunning would help.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "It's gotten."  
  
"Good." He added with a slight smirk.  
  
Katrina sneered. "Then here's my deal-" She screamed to the top of her lungs.  
  
"GET ME OUT OF THESE DAMN ROPES!"  
  
"I don't know . . ." Duo remarked with a smug smile, "She looks kinda cozy."  
  
She growled under her breath, "Can I smother him with that stupid braid please?"  
  
They decided to cut her free then.  
  
m  
  
After another 'friendly conversation' with the boys, they allowed the spy to go.  
  
She had her necklace back and 24-hour surveillance on her tail-the tracker was meant to work for her, not against-their promise to destroy her if she tried anything funny could be made good on  
  
School dragged on today for Katrina.  
  
Words couldn't describe how screwed she was and every little thing made her paranoid, to cover up her strange behavior she made up a story about nearly being killed by a runaway driver.  
  
Of course he fan club flocked around causing her to feel somewhat better . . .  
  
Heero decided to take a scroll in the neighborhood.  
  
In other words, it was his way of checking up on the spy. The tracker told him she was in the school nearby . . . The same school Relena happened to be attending.  
  
Wandering the campus turned up no sign of her, right now he wasn't sure who he wanted to find the most . . . As if her choice of hiding place hadn't to been any closer to Miss Darian, he could see the two girls idly chatting and flipping through a fashion magazine.  
  
That little sly bitch, he thought. How and why she was getting close to Relena made him wonder.  
  
Neither one of them noticed him walk up to them until he greeted them both.  
  
"Good afternoon Relena, Sandia Nelson."  
  
Relena nearly upset her drink while the alleged Sandia fixed him with a death stare.  
  
Visible shock was there as they tried to collect themselves.  
  
It can't be . . . ! She saw him, he one of those guys from the room.  
  
Damn, and it had to be the with the ice eyes.  
  
What in the hell is he doing here? She was forced to agree to do whatever they wanted to save her butt-the files people kept on Kitty Kat were Pandora boxes waiting to happen-but having a personal babysitter was taking it too far, she had been informed about her "new vacation spot."  
  
Relena was the first speak, anything Sandia said would be foul language.  
  
"Heero, I-we didn't see you coming." He's here, then she asked herself, why is he here?  
  
"Really?" His tone was cool, in Kat's mind just like ice again, sending unwanted chills.  
  
"Forgive me, it was rude of me not to announce my presence."  
  
The blonde was drinking up his eyes, her brunette companion could've decked him.  
  
This little sly bastard. She glanced at her friend, the expression screamed CRUSH!  
  
"Oh, have you meet . . ." Then she realized, "Wait a minute, you called her by name?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I meet Sandia when in fencing class." More like you trying to cut me with your eyes.  
  
Relena looked from the brunette boy to the brunette female.  
  
"Is that true, Sandia? I never would've guess that the two of you know each other."  
  
The look he shot said back me up on this lie.  
  
A chuckle escaped her throat, Relena couldn't tell though it was a very unnerved chuckle.  
  
"Yes I must confess I did meet-Heero, I believe, in fencing class yesterday. He's-actually quite good." Quite good at pissing me off, I should jump over this table and kick your sorry ass.  
  
"Well, I must be off." Try a damn thing and I will be over you like white on rice.  
  
"Good bye Relena."  
  
"Good bye Heero." Relena's tone made her sound like a lovesick puppy.  
  
"It was a pleasure seeing you again-Sandia." He just had to stress her alias.  
  
She couldn't risk being found out of again, her school records were counterfeits and the cash need was too strong. The bounty wasn't going away any time soon . . .  
  
"Oh no," Her pleasantry was faked, "the pleasure was all mine."  
  
I will kill you. And bury your body.  
  
In the distance, Heero let out the biggest laugher Relena had ever heard.  
  
m  
  
Duo decided to cure his boredom by seeing what more he could discover on Katrina Nyle.  
  
Personal Info on Operative Blaque Cat  
  
Family: Mother and father, deceased.  
  
Resides at: No known residence  
  
Reported Arrest: None  
  
Mental Disorders and/or Disorders: None reported.  
  
"Aren't you little Miss Popular?" Duo joked to himself.  
  
Trowa walked into the room, the other three boys crafted a new plan regarding the spy.  
  
"So what did you guys plan to do with school girl?"  
  
"She's staying with you."  
  
"WHAT?!?" He jumped up out of his seat.  
  
"They figured she can send them on a wild goose chase but she can't be trusted alone."  
  
"And they think I'm gonna put up with her? No way in hell!"  
  
"They felt that it was your fault in the first place so now you have to babysit her."  
  
"Heero though of this huh?"  
  
"Actually it was Quatre.." Duo's eyes widen.  
  
Trowa stopped at the door, "Better him than our friend."  
  
m  
  
"She'll slip."  
  
"Yes, she will, all we need is the right moment."  
  
Lady Une and her precious Treize were having a conversation about the spies they hired to work for them. "I don't see why we need them. I can very well-"  
  
"No, Lady Une, I need you here." Her heart leaped at that little response. "The Gundams will find out who she's been really work for and then they'll take them out-all of them."  
  
Good, get rid of all them, she thought happily, her mind was giddy.  
  
"Then we can use our money for more suitable things."  
  
"The Blaques are a bunch of notorious little brats your Excellency . . . "  
  
More like whores if you ask me.  
  
"These-rogues-can't be trusted, they've been giving both OZ and the Federation problems."  
  
She recalled with a clear mind how the little flirts acted around His Excellency.  
  
All her strength that day went into not snapping on them.  
  
"I see your point. And we'll just let both of our enemies take out each other."  
  
"That little bitch honestly thought we were going to save her?"  
  
"Children, my fair Lady, are gullible like that. If the bounty killers or the general scum don't get her then the Gundams will."  
  
"I see, you're right sir."  
  
"Oh and Lady Une, will you draw me a bath. I'll like that very much."  
  
Will I! But she had to play cool. "I'll see to that-sir."  
  
m  
  
Katrina sat there lost in thought in a window like a cat would, unmoving and quiet, the expression written on her fine feline features told anyone she was contemplating something deep.  
  
"Hey, need any company?"  
  
A voice shattered her thought. Dammit! Her mind screamed, not him.  
  
"What do you want?" And why do I want you to stay?  
  
"I'm bored." And why do I want you to let me stay?  
  
"Well, do something.".  
  
"This window looks inviting."  
  
"Inviting enough for you to jump out."  
  
"Just move over."  
  
"Fine." She snarled, making room for the boy, he sat down with his back clearly turned to hers.  
  
Neither one knew what to say to the other, they didn't know whether to say anything at all, maybe they really want to speak out of courtesy or boredom or simply cause it felt right.  
  
"So . . . You're staying here?" Did he care if she was? Did he care if she was even living?  
  
"Yeah I'm staying here-like it's on my own damn free will. Don't get cute." Too late for that.  
  
"What? You don't trust me?"  
  
She was implying that he actually wanted her here, even if something said yes. . .  
  
"If I didn't trust you, I would've gutted you before." And that was no lie.  
  
"And I'm breathing right now because . . ." Yeah, he wondered, she could kill easily so why not?  
  
"Shut up."  
  
She folded her arms over her chest concentrating on the rain and not on the young man with his back to her. Silence didn't satisfy him, "So what's up with the motorcycle?"  
  
"I have a need for speed."  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
The way he said it made Kat blurt out her next words: "You really think I'm fast don't you? And I'm not talking about speed." He choked a reply, his bright red cheeks said too much, angry ginger brown eyes could be seen. "I-that's not what I said."  
  
He wouldn't say aloud that her body gave that impression.  
  
The conversation dropped.  
  
Katrina was the one to speak, the tone had softened. "So why didn't you kill me?"  
  
"We need the disks. You got the disks. End of story."  
  
"And what's with the priest getup? Anything but righteous from what I see."  
  
Brightening up again he answered, "This is what I do babe: I bring Death."  
  
"Isn't Death suppose to be a silent figure?"  
  
"Ha-ha." He answered on a sour note.  
  
"Besides Death should be a necessary function, not some pleasure deal."  
  
The tone was sharp, warning, and bitter.  
  
Duo chose to keep his comments to himself.  
  
"Okkkk-"  
  
He challenged, "Since we're in the questioning mood, what's with the necklace. It's nothing but cheap metal-"  
  
"Bastet is the Egyptian goddess who protects the lives of cats, cats are the protector of souls."  
  
"So you figure your name's Kat and it'll protect you."  
  
Her smile was smug, "Does a damn good job . . . And it's never been cheap"  
  
He laughed, "That's crazy talk."  
  
"Look priest boy, I need three things to believe in-myself, this necklace, and a weapon."  
  
"Well then, I believe only in Death."  
  
The rain continued to beat soft against the windowpane as the wind sang.  
  
It lulled them as they sat there unknowing enjoying each other's company.  
  
"Listen, being the gentleman I am you can take my bed for the night and I'll take the couch."  
  
She flinched some when his voice cut into her thoughts again. He always had that timing . . .  
  
"Keep it." She replied coolly. No way in hell, she vowed, I'll throw myself from this window before getting into some guy's bed.  
  
"Refusing my offer? Boy, whatever happened to a little kindness." Duo actually did feel hurt.  
  
"I like the window and the window likes me."  
  
You just love to lie right through your teeth. "Aww, I know how to treat a lady."  
  
She stared into his violet eyes with their violent tempests.  
  
Wasn't she blowing the word "treat" way out of proportion and why was she questioning everything that she did now? Where in the hell was her mind going and why was she a bit concerned about him? "I'll sleep right here just fine."  
  
"Fine."He huffed.  
  
"Fine." She snorted.  
  
m  
  
And what were you saying before, I'll throw myself from this window before I . . .  
  
"I'll jump tomorrow."  
  
She was freezing, dozing off near a cracked window on a cold rainy night wasn't smart.  
  
The only warm place was the bed.  
  
His bed.  
  
She managed to massage the cramps of her legs then she crossed the darken room, she had those cat eyes that were going at seeing things, like the sleeping young man tangled up in his sheets.  
  
Katrina took at breath.  
  
I hate my life, I hate my life . . .  
  
She slipped off her heels and took down her ponytail.  
  
Nothing more she scolded, comfort was what a cat liked but comfort and him weren't gonna mix.  
  
Did he have to sleep with his shirt off? At least he's is wearing underwear . . .  
  
Too close for comfort took on an added meaning as Kat took the spot farthest away from him.  
  
Laying her head down she tried to fall back asleep.  
  
But she couldn't. Something needed to be done.  
  
Maybe it was the liquor still talking or her own foolishness but she kissed him on his cheek. "Good night, sweet prince." Was her sweet whisper.  
  
m  
  
The young man out of his priest's guise woke up next to an angel.  
  
What! An angel? His eyes opened wide.  
  
Another definable lump with a pretty face was in the bed, arm thrown around him.  
  
Why is she wrapped up in his sheets?  
  
Katrina Nyle was in his bed.  
  
Wait a minute . . . I didn't . . . We didn't . . .  
  
Springing up in the bed Duo scanned the room quickly. "There isn't a bottle of gin lying around so I'm not drunk." He inhaled, "I can't smell anything so I am not high. Hmmm, no other drugs."  
  
The body began to stir.  
  
That was something that made him smile, "No wonder my dreams were so interesting."  
  
She peered at him then into the window with big sleepy eyes shifting between the sheets, he noticed that only her ponytail was down-whether to feel disappointed or not he didn't know.  
  
"Good morning to you too." Katrina fixed him with a weird look like she was trying to figure out what she was doing here then she quickly removed her arm. "Sleep well? I know I did-"  
  
Her tone was groggy but threatening, "I'm not in the mood."  
  
Duo put his hands behind his head, "Interesting choice of words, but besides what happen to sleeping in the window? The window doesn't like you?"  
  
"I was cold and the bed's warm. Big deal."  
  
"Are all you Saturday nights like this?"  
  
"Only when I'm drunk." Came out then it was followed by a long yawn, "What time is it?"  
  
"Time enough." Her sour expression made him laugh, "Ok fine, it's nine o' clock."  
  
"Nine?" She promptly laid back down and threw a sheet over her head, "Wake me up later."  
  
"The others want to talk to you."  
  
"Tell them I'm sleep."  
  
"They mean right now."  
  
"Then they them I'm dead."  
  
m  
  
In the middle of the afternoon, Duo slipped back into the dorm going unnoticed by his fellow classmates, the idea of a girl being in his room would raise a lot of brows.  
  
Course the idea raised his too.  
  
The sound of running water brought him up short.  
  
Instinct told him to go to go for his gun but common sense told him that no thief would be using the bathroom. Then who's in there, I don't have any roommates and-hold it.  
  
Duo wlaked toward the bathroom, it wasn't locked so walked right in.  
  
The room looked hazy from the stream, clothes were scattered over the tile floor.  
  
He pushed the shower curtain back, only to find . . .  
  
"What in the hell!" A girl screamed, "Get out of here NOW!"  
  
Immediately Duo felt himself being pelted by towels and dirty clothing.  
  
He shut it back quickly, heart pounding in his chest, and ran out of the bathroom.  
  
"She's using my shower!" A four-year-old would've marveled at his immature behavior.  
  
The knob started to turn in the door, oh shoot he thought, it was the other four guys.  
  
The god of Death being made a fool by some smart-mouth girl . . .  
  
"Any other ideas," The voices could be heard.  
  
'There is the possibility that we can trust her." That was Quatre, always so trusting.  
  
"I'll rather trust cyanide." And that was Heero, always finding his bright sides.  
  
"But we need OZ off our backs and she'll get them to do that."  
  
Trowa was always a voice of reason.  
  
"Screw dealing with this damn woman. We aren't weak." And what do you know, it was Wufei.  
  
"Hey guys! So what ya doing?" Duo popped up out of nowhere, trying to look unruffled.  
  
They gave him queer looks asking themselves was it the sedatives?  
  
"We're suppose to be here stupid, remember?" Wufeil scolded.  
  
Heero spoke, "To talk about the mission, the one you nearly messed up."  
  
He laughed nervously, "Oh yeah . . . But everything's ok, nothing wrong here-"  
  
A door slammed in the room, a very soapy and enraged woman stood there only in a towel.  
  
Heero merely rolled his eyes, Quatre was beet red, Wufei looked annoyed, and Trowa was expressionless. They all turned away averting their eyes.  
  
"If you don't mind, can I at least have my clothes back!" She snatched the jumpsuit she threw at him off of his head, stalking back to the bathroom.  
  
She slammed the door hard leaving the braided brother flushed.  
  
Heero couldn't resist a smart remark. "I see you're having fun."  
  
"Shove it." The braided-boy threatened leaving the others to snickers.  
  
m  
  
Katrina and Duo were stuck together for the whole day, they had to leave early in the Monday morning to get to the office building on the side of town, this new building was an OZ-owned communication center, the spy had to supply a report detaining her mission's progress.  
  
Heero took all of her money, the keys to Granny Apple, and her legit identification- his way of preventing her from doing anything funny- while under the close watch of her "babysitter."  
  
"You had to steal the guy's clothes too?"  
  
Duo ditched the priest garb for a expensive stale-colored Italian suit.  
  
"Hey, this place is high security right? So I'm going high maintenance." He pulled out some black glasses,  
  
"Like the shades?"  
  
"I'll like them better when I have to shove it down your throat."  
  
"Ooh, you're so cold to me, it's the green skirt isn't?" He then asked, "Couldn't find any 'business attire?'"  
  
The slit in the side was slowing too much thigh and the low-cut top didn't leave much to the imagination . . . Maybe his . . . but not anyone else's.  
  
"This is my business attire and it's my business."  
  
"Please, don't blind me."  
  
"It looks good, you know it." She taunted, Katrina was very aware of any she was wearing.  
  
"It's looks like you're a cheap whore." He said under his breath.  
  
She prompted smacked him in the back of his skull. "Cheap ho with fist. Shut up and move."  
  
The base she was to report to was concealed within a large corporation complex so they had to look like the average employees-the ones who didn't work and always played.  
  
They made their way to the empty file room then proceeded to hatch the files containing her latest mission, Katrina chose a couple random places to send the soldiers in search of the G Boys . . .  
  
"I hear the mountains are nice."  
  
Somebody was coming.  
  
And they had to cut out quick.  
  
The steps moved faster and faster, he knew all the guards had guns.  
  
Think stupid, think!  
  
"Duo!" She cries passionately and pulls him closer . . .  
  
"Hey, what's going on in here." A rough male voice demanded.  
  
"Can't a girl have a little fun in here without everybody tryin' to ruin it."  
  
The coy, seductive smile she gave worked like a charm, an intoxicating charm at that.  
  
It wasn't unusual to find the workers shacked up together in compromising positions in the closets and backrooms so he didn't give these two much of a thought, but it did strike him that he never saw these two leave for the general lunch period."What's this? A private lunch-in, you serving yourself up some 'dessert' boy?"  
  
"Yeah and it's called chocolate."  
  
She bit her lips to keep from balling her fist, he acting was too good. The guard stepped inside, eyeing them-it never was the most pleasant feeling for her no matter how many times she had to put herself through this.  
  
"What do you want with me?"  
  
"Where's your ID?"  
  
Duo felt confident.  
  
"Right here." He pulled out a faux one that had a name and some forged info, the fake computer write-ups were currently apart of a complicate virus software program that would be completely downloaded into the entire system one hour from now. After giving it a long hard stare and calling it in, he gave it back.  
  
"Alright, you're clear," Then he smirked, "But make this quick."  
  
"I don't like quick honey . . . I like takin' things slow."  
  
Katrina slowly kissed him again, this time she made sure it was long and drawn out enough to make it seem like they having that 'lunch-in,' her partner didn't know how to react still but he understood what she was doing . . . He pulled her closely wrapping his arms around her hips.  
  
Well, maybe their acting was too good.  
  
Or maybe this wasn't acting.  
  
With a sick smile, he turned around without another word and left the two kiddies alone.  
  
Another minute passed before they realized he had left the room finally to their relief allowing her to gently slipped out of his arms.  
  
He had this look of shock, pleasure, and pain across his face.  
  
"Katrina?"  
  
It came out like a breath, that name rolled off of his tongue so nicely. And so did hers . . .  
  
All she could only look into his eyes . . . Being trapped in his deep violet eyes sent chills and thrills. Their eyes were fixed for that one moment in time with something only they knew.  
  
Her next words came out unnerved and shaken, she couldn't look his way.  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here."  
  
Cinderella, the fairy godmother told her, the spell is broken.  
  
m  
  
The rest of the ride was quiet, the roaring of her motorcycle's engine could be heard.  
  
Her eyes were coming off one way and her words another.  
  
So it wasn't just a kiss?  
  
Well, she wasn't going to risk answering that and neither was he . . .  
  
m  
  
Katrina headed straight for his room.  
  
Duo didn't stop her-maybe she was hoping he would-and he went his own way.  
  
Their heads needed clearing.  
  
"What's three hundred Gs to me anyway?"  
  
The girl asked the walls, the carpet, the sky on the other side.  
  
"I got money. I can manage. Why should I worry about paper?"  
  
In his room  
  
"Greedy bitch. I'm so selfless."  
  
In the far corner of the room her backpack and overnight bag were slung, staring at it long enough prompted her to walk over to it and pull out her laptop.  
  
"And I used to be so kind.  
  
I'm risking their lives, obviously they're all trying to protect something-important."  
  
The computer was booted it up for a long afternoon.  
  
She spent the rest of the afternoon formatting those disks.  
  
Rap music blasted from the radio, I Need A Ryde Or Die Chick was the name, sweet sounds of reality's cacophony from the Ruff Ryders played itself out.  
  
A smooth song for a not-so-smooth day.  
  
m  
  
Just like he had suspected.  
  
The letters on the screen flashed "OZ."  
  
Heero was royally pissed.  
  
Katrina wasn't just a spy, she was theirs, their bitch.  
  
"Liar, liar . . ." He whispered as the door flew open.  
  
"Hey Heero! We got OZ on the run and save our necks to live another day!"  
  
"Duo, what do you-" It hit him, Duo was still the last to know. "Just the person I want to see."  
  
What was it that made him not want to trust the boy sitting in front of him at the computer terminal. "Why?" He asked, suspicion growing.  
  
"Let's just say 'curiosity killed the cat.'"  
  
And then this ominous smile spread across his dark features.  
  
m  
  
The afternoon was longer for him.  
  
He had been deceived.  
  
A criminal record all over the states, trouble with the Feds, working for OZ . . .  
  
She was working for them, that made her an enemy.  
  
Duo took out his gun and headed straight for the roof top, she'll be standing there alone admiring the night skyline. Cats always watched the sun go down, they were always watching something.  
  
They only knew so much about her because she was trying to protect herself from certain danger.  
  
Well, he laughed, she was going to meet it.  
  
OZ got clever this time.  
  
They send in a pretty lady to charm them into trust.  
  
Or was it just him?  
  
Being charmed by her sweet smile-the spell she worked on others was working against him now.  
  
Fallen for the criminal element . . . He could've kicked himself.  
  
But you learn lessons to correct them.  
  
m  
  
The sound of the door opening made her ears prick, just like a true cat.  
  
She turned to see who the person was with the heavy footsteps and quiet breathing.  
  
She stared at him frozen in time, his finger coaxed the trigger.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
There she was staring at Death, Sweet Death, in his violet eyes, his name was well devised.  
  
"Good night, Katrina Nyle."


	2. The Glass Mirror Breaks

The 2nd- The Glass Mirror Breaks  
  
m m m m  
  
Instead of unleashing a round of bullets on her he shot at the sky.  
  
"FUCK!" He screamed as he unloaded the gun into the black night.  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut, not waiting to return to being the target of his rage.  
  
"STOP! Don't kill her please!"  
  
"Relena?"  
  
Suddenly she tried to wrestle the gun out of his hand.  
  
"What in you doing, are you crazy!?!"  
  
"You know about-I mean why are-I mean what?"  
  
"She didn't give him the disk, she formatted them to protect you guys. Believe me, she only had good intentions!"  
  
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."  
  
"She's OZ!"  
  
"OZ my ass! I didn't know that the other Blaques was selling the disk to them."  
  
"How do I know that's not a lie? How do I know you're not lying to save your sorry tail?"  
  
Katrina looked to both of them revealing something new in her eye: Guilt.  
  
The great deceiver wasn't fooling anyone this time.  
  
"What did you do with them then?"  
  
"I erased everything, I don't know jack about the Gundams."  
  
"Well, well, you didn't lie for once. Must be the drugs Katrina."  
  
He dropped the gun.  
  
m  
  
"YOU KNEW THOSE DAMN DISKS WERE BLANK AND YOU STILL PULLED A GUN OUT ON ME!" She decked him into the jaw causing Duo to fall backwards. "Oh I will kill you!"  
  
She lunged at him again with her fist but he blocked her punches, bending her arm behind her back, "You lied to me about OZ, you could've been lying about that too!"  
  
She was struggling to break free, bitting her bottom lip to suppress her cries of pain.  
  
Her heels weren't doing any good unless her aim was for his crotch.  
  
"I would've been dead stupid! I was protecting my fucking' identity!" Kat suddenly flipped him sending him sailing midway through the air. He hit the ground with a thud.  
  
"Some damn identity, you had three aliases!" She grabbed him by the collar jerking him to his.  
  
"What about you Fly Boy, you've done enough crime to land your sorry ass in plenty of prisons."  
  
They entangled themselves in a hair-pulling match.  
  
"That's my PONYTAIL!"  
  
"That's my BRAID!"  
  
Suddenly he trips her up with his leg, sending them both to the ground. She hit her side hard.  
  
He sat on her legs, restraining her from any further movement, he held her down.  
  
"Let's get something straight." His tone came out cold and indifferent, a scary, starling contrast to his usual light-heartedness. "I'm keeping you alive for one reason and I don't have a problem with taking you out." He leaned closer, his face only inches from her own. "Get it and get it good."  
  
"The feeling's mutual." She growled.  
  
m  
  
"PUT ME DOWN!"  
  
The others watched as Duo walked in with the girl slung over his shoulders like he would have his backpack. They thought she was lying in a pool of blood, not screaming her head off at him.  
  
"What's this, a lover's quarrel?" Wufei admonished.  
  
Heero had this gleam in his eye that told him, 'there better a hellavu good explanation for this.'  
  
She unleashed a barrage of curses out on him.  
  
"I know a lot more than you do, loves, so ya betta listen up."  
  
m  
  
Lucky.  
  
That was the only word to describe it.  
  
She lied to see another day.  
  
After going through the story behind the disks and their fates with the truth inside of it they understood, if you can call putting the gun back to her head and telling her one more fuck-up would cost her eyes for real. Their threats weren't idle. She sure as hell didn't like the chair trick this time when the bullet missed her by an inch .  
  
Her conclusion: They were protecting the Gundams.  
  
Not even her best hacking codes could leak a bit of information on them before they were cleaned.  
  
But she had one question: Why?  
  
People believed in them but why so fiercely?  
  
m  
  
The black girl stood in the bathroom staring into looking glass.  
  
Staring into it frozenly, gaze fixed in a glare, she didn't move.  
  
A thousand grotesque images ran through her mind, twisted and sick, the anger burned in her head with the rage intensified . . .  
  
"Katrina, Katrina! What's wrong Princess?"  
  
"The bad men were coming to get me!"  
  
"Honey, honey, it's a bad dream that's all."  
  
"Nobody will ever hurt you sweetie. We'll make sure of that."  
  
"Now be a good girl and go to bed Katrina, ok? And don't disturb Collie over there, she's sleeping. Be a big girl for Mommy and go back to sleep. You have a dance recital tomorrow."  
  
The little meekly answered, "Yes ma'am."  
  
"That's our ballerina."  
  
Someone was beating on the door.  
  
"Somebody's knocking this time of night?"  
  
There were there three men at the door dressed in military uniforms and toting guuns.  
  
"I'm Dr. Nyle, what do you people want."  
  
"We heard that you and your husband were spreading propaganda against OZ."  
  
Soria's tone was icy: "We don't support an organization of murders and rogues."  
  
"Damn right Soria, you people have cause enough trouble for the colonies."  
  
"You've overstepped your boundaries, doctors." The assassin pulled a gun:  
  
"Now this is where we stop you."  
  
Screaming plagued each thought, blood tainted every part of her mind. Her fingers tightened around the plastic she was holding, nails cutting into the blush-colored paint.  
  
"Soria!"  
  
"Jason!"  
  
"Mommie! Daddie!" A little girl screamed.  
  
Gun shots sprayed the room.  
  
"Noooo!"  
  
"Mommie! Daddie! Don't be dead please! Answer me! It's your Princess! It's your Kitty Kat!"  
  
The world was swimming around her. "Get that brat, you idiots, before she gets away!"  
  
Somebody demanded, footsteps approached her.  
  
"Come here little girl."  
  
"NOO!" She grabbed the discarded weapon and started firing.  
  
That was the fist time she ever used a gun.  
  
The big picture mirror was covered in blood, it fell to the ground shattering into a million pieces nearly killing the child underneath, screaming. Blood coated her tiny ballerina outfit.  
  
"AHHHHHH! The damn thing killin' us!"  
  
Another shot put another solder down, the child's eyes blazed like the noon day sun.  
  
"YOU WON'T STOP US! I HATE YOU!, I HATE YOU ALL!"  
  
m  
  
That night, those memories, her dreams.  
  
The mirror, it was doing it again, she could hear the terrifying cries and see the blood-her parents' blood, she could smell the gun powder from the bullets flying and feel her fear . . .  
  
She heard herself scream.  
  
With all her force she threw her makeup compact into it.  
  
m  
  
"So what do we do about Katrina?"  
  
The Wydow asked Byrd and Eyce. The group called Blaque gathered themselves at a back table in a small café, sipping on black coffee and lemon sweet ice tea, all dressed in similar black bell bottom jumpsuits with matching ebony platforms. Only their hair, eyes, and races differed.  
  
"The Blaque Kat has betrayed us sisters."  
  
The blonde with the French roll spoke first, as usual she took the lead leaving the other to follow.  
  
"Betrayed?" The pig-tailed Asian said out of shock nearly spilling her coffee. "Not our Kitty Kat."  
  
"There's no honor among that theft. The disks were formatted, Wydow, I've been keeping track of her conversations lately. She's in range now. That means, she's in the neighborhood."  
  
"Why would she do that?" The straight-haired Latina urged. "Kitty Kat's not stupid chica."  
  
"She's must be gettin' laid good or something Stacie." The pig-tailed redhead commented.  
  
Eyce shrugged, taking another slip of her tea. "Or something. She knows where the Fly Boyz are.  
  
We get what info we need when we find her."  
  
"And then?" Rachael wondered would the former socialite really go through with this.  
  
"She pays. We've been sisters."  
  
Rachael leaned in close, "She knows too much."  
  
"Yes, she does." Rachael didn't like that indifferent tone in her voice.  
  
"OZ would kill for this information and we're on the run." Don't you know how serious this is?  
  
"Katrina's taking the fall as usual. Murder in the first degree-tsk, tsk, Kitty Kat."  
  
"We get the cash, the info, and away with murder." Stacie smiled. "How sweet it is."  
  
The others joined in, "Like sugar."  
  
m  
  
Someone was banging on the front door.  
  
"Alright, alright, I'm coming! Geez-"  
  
Katrina threw the door open, she didn't care if she was only wearing Duo's shirt, whoever dare to break her concentration when it came to Crazy 8s on Duo's computer would pay.  
  
Her tone was fierce and mean, "I don't know who you are or what you want, but the next time-"  
  
The calm reply was "You always have a way with people, don't you Kitty Kat?"  
  
Three teenager girls stood outside wearing friendly smiles and similar clothing toting similar guns.  
  
"Eyce?" The name escaped from her throat in a dry tone.  
  
The one she called replied, "Long time, no see."  
  
"Byrd, Wydow." She regarded them, watching them all narrow-eyed.  
  
"Hello Kitty Kat." They were greeting her with that stupid nickname.  
  
"Well . . . do we all just stand here?" The second girl asked.  
  
Katrina flinched slightly, snapping herself out of thought took a step back, "Excuse me."  
  
She wasn't afraid but their presences spelled trouble-either for her or someone else.  
  
They gather themselves in the center of the dorm room having an idle conversation, standing around, "I see you got a tan."  
  
"I was too pale and the earth is so nice this time of year. Rachael and Stacie like it."  
  
"It's alright." Then she asked her real questions, "Why are you here? How come you found me?'  
  
"We thought you were dead." The crimson pigtails reminded her of a spider's webbing.  
  
"We're were sooo worried about you Katrina."  
  
You were worried you wouldn't get my cut of the three hundred Gs, I know this game.  
  
"Kat always lands on her feet. I have to."  
  
"So what you been doing?" She couldn't tell them too much about the guys.  
  
Her tone was causal, "I've been staying with someone while I carried out my mission."  
  
"Is that why you're wearing a baggy shirt?" The blonde asked.  
  
Embarrassment flushed her face, "I borrowed it, it's my laundry day."  
  
The redhead giggled, "Oh, so it is a him." A devilish grin came over her face, "Good idea there. What did you do, Katrina, tempt him into putting you up for the night? Or was he up? Hmmmm."  
  
"Look, he's a nice guy, I don't do those 'special favors.'"  
  
Erin could see the tension, felt it gnawing. "Remember ladies, we need to focus on business."  
  
Her voice turned cold as she whipped out her gun on Katrina. "And ours is with you."  
  
Oh shit.  
  
"What the fuck is this? You're pulling a piece out on me?" She demanded pulling her own piece.  
  
"Another setback. We're getting tired of this-first, you disappear without even trying to contact us then you lose our meal ticket-we know what you did to the disks . . . and we know why."  
  
"For shame Kitty Kat." Stacie teased.  
  
Eyce released this haunting laughter, "No more questions, you have to go."  
  
"Aren't you sleepy Kitty Kat? Don't worry, you'll be taking a little nap." The redhead warned.  
  
"Yes, a nap will do her so much good." The Byrd remarked evilly.  
  
Katrina jumped on Stacie but in a fluent motion Rachael grabbed her by her ponytail and threw her into a wall. Precious air flew out of the Kat's chest as the Wydow and the Byrd advanced on again, Katrina managed dodge them while sinking a pair of scissors into Rachael's thigh.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHH BITCHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
Stacie decked her in the jaw leaving Katrina to fall in the coffee table, Rachael snatched the now bloody blades out of her body. Panting she motioned for Erin to give her what was in her hands.  
  
"Stop trying to fight it feline."  
  
The needle took in the liquid s-l-o-w-l-y as the girl's voice remained calculated. Katrina planted her foot into Stacie's stomach sending her flying, the feline picked herself vision brandishing.  
  
Erin threw Stacie the needle when she managed to collect herself, charging the feline Stacie stabbed her in the neck with a needle . . . Ten seconds later her body went slack as Rachael let her drop to the ground, hair disheveled and blood drying on her lips.  
  
"And to think I didn't even have to get dirty." The other two tried to clean themselves up.  
  
Erin left the dorm as Stacie toted Kat's body and dragged herself from behind.  
  
m  
  
Do I always wake up in unknown places?  
  
The cold marble ground told her yes.  
  
Mirrors.  
  
The room's full of them.  
  
Nothing but padded walls . . . Nothing but giant floor-length mirrors.  
  
She backed herself into the farthest part of the room, it was this confined cage no bigger than apartment, hugging her knees she told herself not to let this place get the best of her.  
  
And it could.  
  
And it would.  
  
Slowly, piece by piece, her right mind was going.  
  
m  
  
"I thought you might like to read this on your girlfriend."  
  
"Fuck you, Heero."  
  
"Just read it."  
  
The first words he saw on the screen were The Happy Trails Outpatient Mental Institution, the second words were Patient List & Records.  
  
"What the hell is this?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
He kept reading:  
  
Patient: Nyle, Katrina FeliciaAddress: UnlistedParents: DeceasedOther Family: None  
  
No. of Sessions: Fifteen w/in year period  
  
Diagnosis: This patient is suffering from a rare phobia-an intense fear of mirrors.  
  
Reason for such was that the patient witnessed death of her parents and the death of sister Colleen Nelson.  
  
Feels the need to either avoid them or destroy them. There's only been one reported suicide attempt.  
  
He stopped at that last paragraph. "You just rolling out with the dirt aren't you Heero?"  
  
"I'm saying she can't be trusted."  
  
"Ok, so she was OZ's spy but she did prove that she formatted all the disk and it wasn't trick.  
  
And she did get in on the inside so we know we're being watched."  
  
"She's a real head-case. You want us to keep faith in a suicidal necrotic who's lied to us before?"  
  
"She's no better than you! What do you have against her?!?"  
  
"Plenty."  
  
"Just because you're insecure about her being around Relena-"  
  
"Where is she?" He insisted suddenly, this wasn't the time or the place to discuss that girl.  
  
"My place . . . why? What are you gonna do to her?"  
  
A source told him the three other Blaques were in town . . .  
  
"It's not about what I'm going to do to her, it's about what someone else is."  
  
m  
  
"AW HELL! MY DORM ROOM!"  
  
The two boys walked into the chaotic scene, Katrina was no where to be found and the place had been trashed. The computer screen had turned on somehow in the room:  
  
Well, we knew you had to come back so we cleaned up a little."  
  
Don't get stupid, Fly Boyz, we know all about you and the disks.  
  
Did Katrina forget to tell you we found backups?  
  
Treize will give us a nice playoff for that info so you better move fast. Oh, and if you're looking for your Kitty Kat, Gundam, I hope you know she likes mirrors. But you know that don't you? Oh well . . .  
  
farewell lovely!"  
  
He kicked the screen as hard as he could.  
  
Heero tried to avoid as much of the damage as passable.  
  
"They have her."  
  
"Yeah." He was exhausted, "I know."  
  
m  
  
Her heart was beating.  
  
Pounding in her chest.  
  
What was it? Hours? Days? Eons?  
  
No doors, no windows, only the mirrors.  
  
Screaming, crying, begging, silence, laughing, or not fearing dying didn't help.  
  
And the room mocked her.  
  
It never answered, it never sympathized, it never warned her.  
  
The frigid air and austere walls only made her colder, crazier, dying.  
  
m  
  
Duo knew he was scared: Scared for Katrina, scared for himself, scared of his feelings . . .  
  
The watch kept beating, slow and steady, like heartbeat.  
  
m  
  
She was beating the mirrors.  
  
Slamming her fists through the glass, kicking the mirrors, she had to get rid of the mirrors.  
  
The glass sliced her skin, blood and sweat and tears ran freely, her mad shrieking filled the room.  
  
She was determined to get rid of them.  
  
Even if it meant killing herself doing it.  
  
m  
  
By the time they found them room, Katrina Nyle was half-way death.  
  
Cruel and fitting, Death had his Maiden in his arms.  
  
She clutched madly at his shirt, trying to hold on to something in this world, everything else was dead. Didn't bodies get heavier as they grow cold? Or was she becoming lighter, had her soul floated away as of yet? The white dress over the mahogany skin with the streaks of red blood against the black shirt, colors of purity and life and demise and mourning.  
  
Through ginger browns, she watched him fade away, like the summer day, like her dreams. 


	3. Chance and Collie

The 3rd- Chance & Collie  
  
m m m m  
  
That was the second night she woke up screaming.  
  
The same dream from two nights ago . . . A young girl . . . a glass coffin . . . a ballerina in mourning at her side . . . A mirrors surrounding the body . . . the stench of rotten parents . . .  
  
Those same ginger browns were blinded by the bright hospital lights.  
  
Just another dream, right?  
  
The report read that she lost three pints of blood, suffered severe fatigue, and an unnumerable amount of bruises and scars covered her up and down her body.  
  
Starved, shaking, and sickly she wouldn't be released for another three weeks.  
  
Anymore stress would sign, seal, and deliver her to her death.  
  
Last time was just cheating it.  
  
"You can't get lucky three times."  
  
Went through her mind, a now disorganized thing, twisted within her own madness.  
  
Could a mirror really do that much?  
  
No . . . She closed her eyes then opened them listening to her heartbeat . . . They did much worse.  
  
The kat dropped back into her bed. The curtains were pulled filing the room with darkness, the tv was only showing a random late night tv infomercial. Her bare food remained untouched-she hated the crap they served. All the beeing of the machines and monitors would drive her insane. Ghost white lilies were by her bedside and a 'get well' card . . . Then something new.  
  
An obscure brown envelope entitled For Your Eyez Only.  
  
"Not a bill, not another damn bill." She whispered.  
  
Something made her unnerved, something told her not to open it.  
  
Five colored photos fell out the envelope . . . Nausea washed over her.  
  
"Oh God." She whispered knees bucking under her, crumpled she clutching the edge of the table.  
  
Her heart stopped, the note reading: Beware of the chicas bearing gifts . . .  
  
The faint click of her heels burned on the feline's ears.  
  
"Screaming again, Miss Nelson? The staff and your lil' friends sho' are very worried about you. Whoever you kidnappers were did a number on you-po' thang." A short middle-aged woman with a Southern accent walked in, "Aww, how sweet, your little braided friend send these to'ya."  
  
Katrina had her back to the woman so the nurse had no idea how she looked.  
  
A hand touched her shoulder. "Now what sees to be the problem-HEEEEEYYYYY!"  
  
She snatched the sedative from the nurse's leg pocket and kicked her legs, pinning her down she jammed into her arm. Amazingly she had to fight as best as she could moving her hand toward the security button. It was thrown across the room and hit the ground with a thump.  
  
The nurse figured her luck was out.  
  
"You need this more than me." She felt out, her body slacked and fell onto the carpet.  
  
A plan formulated itself in her mind . . .  
  
"I can use a new set of threads . . . I think I'll take yours."  
  
By the time anyone realized it, Katrina ran out of the door into the moonless night.  
  
m  
  
"SHE DID WHAT?!?"  
  
It was a very distraught Duo screaming into the telephone. "You idiots couldn't one eye on a woman who just tried to commit suicide? She's half-way dead for God sakes!"  
  
Were his ears deceiving him or did he just hear that she escaped from a hospital?  
  
He signed.  
  
No doubt this way the infamous Blaque Kat who ran when necessary and killed when necessary.  
  
He runs, he hides . . . Duo would recall himself saying. But did she realized she ran away with apart of him? A part that was-exposed?  
  
A voice from the front door yelled.  
  
"Duo! Duo, did they say anything about Katrina, is she well? Dead? What?"  
  
Duo threw the receiver down, "Dammit Katrina!"  
  
He started raving, "You can't stay put for anything!"  
  
Relena found the door unlocked much to her good luck.  
  
"You mean, you mean-she's gone?" Relena entreated.  
  
"No, she went for a Sunday stroll . . . Of course she's gone! They said she escaped!"  
  
"Escaped? From intensive care? In her state?"  
  
"Yeah, just like a certain somebody."  
  
"But-but-but why?"  
  
"Why is a word that doesn't applies to Kat."  
  
Silence was filling in the spaces.  
  
"We have got to tell the others."  
  
"Now, that's funny." He smirked for the first time today, "And I'm our dear Heero will do anything for you."  
  
Relena promptly clamped her jaw shut.  
  
m  
  
"Little boys with toys."  
  
Erin smiled to herself.  
  
"That's all those Gundams are. Too bad they're cute . . . But money's like that, guys are like that-cool, fast, and dangerous."  
  
3 am Egyptian time and the party was still jumping.  
  
The former pharaoh's castle was now the summer retreat of the other three Blaques, as the Nile River shined this night Erin wondered if she should pour another glass of Don P for herself.  
  
"I sure as hell should, after Katrina gets here, we'll be r-o-l-l-i-n-g in dough."  
  
With another full glass, she lifted it to the sky.  
  
"Come home Kitty Kat, come home."  
  
m  
  
The plane ride was easy-change some computer files saying you have first-class tickets and that you lost al your luggage for an fat insurance check-but finding out what to do was the hard part.  
  
Cairo's airport was packed with business people, idle vacationers, locals looking for a meal ticket.  
  
Aww hell ran through her mind as she lowered the floppy sunny hat over her eyes, she had to disgust herself as another badly dressed tourist-sandals, socks and all.  
  
OZ was there also.  
  
Would the solders know this way the same spy that nearly took the money and ran?  
  
Now the backups were almost in their hands and her 'sisters' had the paper.  
  
She watched a young boy trying to give out pamphlets but no one would take them, curiosity prompted her to walk over to him and ask what was he selling . . . A light feminine voice spoke to her, "Welcome home."  
  
She spun around thinking only to run . . . the blow from the cane made it clear:  
  
She was being kidnaped.  
  
By the time she could come to, she found herself tied and gagged in the bathroom, taken out, and riding around in somebody's limo. Erin only regretted that she wouldn't shut her mouth while they were doing it. 'God Katrina, don't get tried of your trap?"  
  
"Let ME GO! BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!"  
  
"Ooh. I wouldn't fight too much: They know where to hit, when to hit, and how hard to hit."  
  
Someone slammed her into the side of the limo, blood oozed from her arm, tearing a new cut into her now healed bruise. "I wasn't expecting such a pleasant welcome." She stated.  
  
This drunken laugher followed, "Such a kidder this one! That's right Kitty Kat, keep smiling!"  
  
"What do want with me?" The feline added with a growl.  
  
"All I wanted to do was see you honey." The smiled was sweet, "Well, before you die-we got the backups, the cash, the scapegoat. Taking you out means mo' money and no problems."  
  
The feline fell back into her seat. "They'll come for you." What did I just say that for? Lie . . .  
  
"We kill them." Erin pulled out her matches mechanically.  
  
"The mirror thing was low and it was cruel."  
  
The sadness there in her quiet tone went ignored, life was cruel, she had to get over it.  
  
"But what F-U-N eh?"  
  
"Don't you LIKE the pretty looking glasses . . . The spy sang loudly, "Pretty, pretty glasses, pretty, pretty glasses, pretty, pretty glasses, pretty, pretty glasses, pretty, pretty glasses . . ."  
  
Her glass coffin . . . it drummed itself into her skull . . . the pretty glasses . . . her end . . . Colleen.  
  
"Pretty, pretty glasses, pretty, pretty, glasses, PRETTY, PRETTY GLASSES-"  
  
She struggled to speak- "You. Cold-hearted. Bitch. Ice. Cold. Like. Glass."  
  
Katrina tried jumping on her, hoping to rip out her eyes for being so cruel, sisters aren't suppose to be that way. "I'll SEND YOU TO HELL!"  
  
One of the muscle-bound men restrained her from any other movements by pinning her face down in the seat arms behind her back, lost of breath slowed her down.  
  
"Not until I send you Kitty Kat."  
  
Erin puffed lightly on the cigarette. "You think you got it this time Kitty Kat, but you don't. Beware of the Greeks bearing gifts . . ." Smoke watered Kat's browns, there it was, the fire.  
  
"Now sit down and be a good little ballerina." There it was burning into her eyes, in her soul.  
  
"Besides, you're sick. Let us doctor you up." The agony.  
  
The humiliation caused the kat to pay while the eyce mocked her pain.  
  
"And you're getting a change of clothes, even a nut like you must stay fashionable."  
  
m  
  
Trowa asked, "So how does an intensive care patient slip out of a hospital unnoticed?"  
  
Duo's reply: "Easy-she does."  
  
Quatre merly shook his head, "I don't think we'll ever understand that girl."  
  
"Don't try to understand her . . . just nod your head and smile."  
  
"Well aren't we going to do something?" The blonde girl was anxious to know.  
  
"When did this become 'we?' You know something Relena, I'm getting tried of you interfering with this. She didn't pay up and look what happened."  
  
What are you-Heero's retarded echo? "She's my friend. She doesn't deserve to die like this."  
  
"She deserves whatever she wants!" He pounded his fist on the desk.  
  
Liar, he told himself, just like Katrina.  
  
Wufei interjected, "We? We what? If that foolish woman wants to die, then let her."  
  
"She's caused enough problems." Heero walked into the room coolly, making his entrance,  
  
"But we need to find her because she knows too much about us and the Blaques have backups."  
  
"Is that the only reason you can think of?!?"  
  
Relena sprung from her chair pointing an accusing finger at the five pilots.  
  
Caught way off guard by her outbursts, tongue tied they only listened.  
  
"Don't you for once give a damn about something than your missions? Try thinking a of person for once. She didn't sell anyone of you short so why do the same?"  
  
Now who was she defending: Katrina or herself?  
  
The tension was so thick you could cut with a knife, yet a beeping sound cut through it.  
  
It was a message on Duo's email.  
  
"Oh what an uncool time to get junk mail!" He left the room leaving the others to make sense of Miss Dorian . . . "What?!? No way she could've sent this! 'READ THIS OR LET ME DIE.'"  
  
Everyone rushed to the terminal read it:  
  
Duo  
  
I'm not explaining why I did thisI just didRelena, the lies stop here.  
  
To the Fly Boyz, This isn't a request-it's an invitation.  
  
Come to the city where dying cats play and Blaque sprits slay  
  
Baset weaves these words: "The River older than night, Young in Day, Isis's child.  
  
So the blood flows like it, the beauty."  
  
Quatre snapped his fingers, "The Nile, she's on the River Nile."  
  
"Katrina's in-" Duo still tried to gasp it, "Egypt."  
  
"Then prepare a plane, Egypt's only a day away." Relena told them running out of the room.  
  
m  
  
"You're having so much fun with this."  
  
"I'll be lying to say I didn't." Rachael tossed her head, "We thought you liked 'tight' clothing."  
  
"I feel naked."  
  
The "fabric" she had to put up with was an antique Egyptian dress that was clinging to a prayer on her blossom, the split raised more eyebrows then her green skirt ever did, the only things that felt covered were her feet. Her death scythe ponytail was replaced with a single genie-like ponytail that trailed down her back made of same material used in the other girls pleated wigs, gold, green, and black make-up shined on her face and nails, the dress was cream silk.  
  
"And you never did before?" The trio were wearing their regular catsuits. So I'm a doll now?  
  
"And that green skirt, what a touch! Only Katrina can sashay in a piece of fabric and still have fun with it." Stacie squeals with delight. "The Great Pretender: Good looking and deadly."  
  
"Not everything that glitters is gold." Erin dwelled, swinging the Baset charm in Kat's face.  
  
"The Great Deceiver." Rachael raised a glass to her.  
  
Kat put her head into her hands, groaning. "Just shoot me."  
  
Erin threw her hands in the air, "Sorry, no can do, try again!"  
  
"Besides . . . the real guests haven't arrived." Stacie cooed, that child-like innocent quality the pig-tailed wearing Asian sported only concealed her wild nature-the real Wydow that lurked without wanting to fed on blood, lust, and sin. "I wanna see your Fly Boyz and I know you snatched up the cute one."  
  
"Only the best for our ballerina princess." Rachael teased falling back on the couch giggling madly. Katrina could see it, smell it, they were all drunk and drugged up. "Ain't that right?"  
  
"Don't you dare touch them." Came out suddenly, fiercely, defensively.  
  
The other girls exchanged glances then laughed in front of Katrina's face.  
  
"Aww! You know me too well!" Katrina watched as she jumped on the table and stomped her heels into the wood like a whiney child. "That's just like you to wanna hog it all for yourself."  
  
She tried reason:  
  
"The three of you are drunk and you're high, you're not thinking straight, what would Angie-"  
  
Rachael snapped back in a more somber tone, "Angie would tell us to kick your sorry ass for betraying us. Consider this our punishment: Enjoy the night while it lasts."  
  
m  
  
"Collie . . ."  
  
Where are you the girl asked herself. Another mission was down for the night so she could go back home and play with her sister that night. She dreaded leaving her alone night after night in the tiny studio apartment-but their livelihood depended on her and her alone.  
  
She would die first before seeing the ten-year old follow in any inch of her footsteps.  
  
"Colleen, don't you dare play games with me!" No squeaky voice answered her back like it usual would, there wasn't a 'I'm not playing' or 'come catch me if you can.'"  
  
No signs of a pig-tail wearing, hyper-active tomboy anywhere, the place was unusually neat and there were no sounds of feet. This wasn't Colleen Denise Nelson Nyle at all.  
  
"Colleen, I'm serious! You're really scaring me, I'm gonna really get you for playing."  
  
In the living room, around the kitchen, outside: She was no where.  
  
Standing in the bedroom the older girl tried to collect herself . . . A trail appeared.  
  
A blood trail.  
  
Blood, Colleen? Can't be, can't beeeeeeee . . . "COLLEEN!"  
  
The spy ran into the bathroom throwing the light hoping this wasn't real, that it was punch or wine accidently spilled, hoping that the kid would pop out of the closet any minute.  
  
Hoping to breath herself . . .  
  
From the shower pole there, it was swinging-the ruined body. A child's body, her sister's body.  
  
Someone wrapped a corded along her neck and left this ghost vision there for her eyes.  
  
That what the mirror said: For your eyes only.  
  
Sick, that what she was, sicken. Katrina couldn't stand, couldn't speak.  
  
But she could cry, she could echo madly . . . The name, the vision, the victim, the mirror's fate.  
  
Her mouth opened back and unleashed:  
  
"Colleen!"  
  
She woke up screaming. Number three.  
  
Sweat cooled her burning face. Her bones were quaking from left to right, with her water jug she drowned her face, swallowed the only thing she touched in three days.  
  
"I wish it was poison, then maybe I could sleep at night."  
  
Out of her heavy breaths a small chuckle escaped. Sleep, Katrina licked her dry lips, she hadn't sleep in two days. "I wanna sleep at night."  
  
The wind whistled through the open bay windows, a palace older than time was the cage for the cat. She had her cat food and a pretty collar to match-wired with a hundred bolts of electricity.  
  
"Do you want me to go to sleep Death? Can I sleep now?"  
  
Maxwell . . .  
  
She wanted Duo, she wanted to see Relena and even the Fly Boyz would be easy on the eyes now.  
  
"Death: What makes you so poignant?"  
  
She asked the darken night, no pearl moon would shine tonight.  
  
"Why must some kill so that some may live?  
  
You've taken my parents, you've taken my Collie, you even wanted to take me . . .  
  
Why did you let me live? Why must I breathe? Why am I important? Why must I grieve?  
  
Don't take Maximilian please. Don't take the Fly Boyz, Don't take Relena.  
  
Don't take me . . . Until I'm ready."  
  
Silence met her answer. What was it telling her? That she was forgiven?  
  
"Hell, that's asking Fate to stop screwing with me, but I need to fix things, I need to make them believe, make them proud of me. I've committed my sins many a time over . . . But grant me this: A chance to make up for them: Bastet protects my soul so Death, protect my life."  
  
m  
  
"Boy, we're in the middle of a damn war and you giving out books!?!"  
  
"Father, I don't wanna fight in a losing battle!"  
  
"Losing? If you don't fight then how do you expect to win?!? This is OZ for God's sake."  
  
"These aren't books!" He shot back, "This is the way I'm fighting! With words!"  
  
"And words on a page are suppose to end this war? Boy, you're being foolish!"  
  
"There's been too much bloodshed. It mustn't be this way!"  
  
"Then what way must it be boy-should we be holding hands and singing?"  
  
On the other side of the restaurant the party of six listened with a strong interest to this, OZ was in town and ready to play.  
  
The blonde asked the question on all their minds first: "Do you think we should get involved?"  
  
"Not only waste our time with Katrina but get involved in another fight?Yeah, good thinking."  
  
Heero polished off the rest of his drink, throat drying than the Sahara.  
  
"Can you just for once get your head out of your-" This deadly tone came out of Duo's mouth.  
  
Relena signed, "Guys, please, we can't forget why we're here."  
  
"Yeah, that's right-why are we here?"  
  
"We should talk to them, maybe they can help us find the spy." Trowa rose from his seat, leaving his plate untouched. "And find our fight."  
  
They watched him go before rising themselves, they had missions before, so this shouldn't be any different. Sadiq continued to protest, "Fighting is the problem and not solution!" The boy, small and skinny, challenged. "We can stop without killing any-one, there's a chance for peace."  
  
"Maybe bloodshed is necessary for peace."A new voice said.  
  
The two jumped, looking up to find six teenagers listening to their quarrel, looming silently.  
  
Exchanging a glance with his son, Raphael stood up clearing his throat. "May I ask why you are here?" Suspicious crept into his deep tone, the blonde boy spoke first extending a hand.  
  
"Forgive us friends, we could hear you-talking-about the war going on in your land."  
  
Raphael gave each of them a hard stare before taking it. "Sorry, but you can't trust too many strangers in this land. Our home has been taken over by OZ, but Egypt isn't going down easy."  
  
He motioned toward the younger boy, "Forgive my son, his misguided ideology about peace is causing tension between us. We're trying to get people to fight but fears had settled into them."  
  
Sadiq stood up straing at his father, "Misguided? You call not waiting to kill misguided?"  
  
Pushing pass the group he ran outside into the burning heat of the day.  
  
One big happy family so it seemed.  
  
The father shook his head sadly, "I don't know what to do with that boy."  
  
This is where Relena found her voice. "Sir, not to pry but maybe you should let him be."  
  
Wufei added, "Or keep him out of this. He's weak, he shouldn't fight."  
  
Raphael found is jaw set in protest, he was ready to tell these kids to mind their own business.  
  
"Might I ask why you are here in Egypt? Only the crazy venture into these parts."  
  
Duo chucked, "Whoever said we were ordinary? We're trying to locate someone we know."  
  
"In the middle of a war?" The older man laugh, "Good luck, you won't find them here. The only people here are OZ and the people trapped in the war, be it fighting or killed."  
  
His tone turned somber "This person's life is in danger because of some hot computer disks."  
  
"I wouldn't know anything of the sort but . . . maybe we can help each other."  
  
Heero cocked an eyebrow, the others offer no protest so he asked the man to continue.  
  
"You kids strike me as fighters."  
  
His monotone gave an answer, "Good guess."  
  
Quatre put the offer on the table, "We can be of assistance if that's what your saying."  
  
"Well . . . naw, I couldn't do that, you should be trying to find your friend if they mean that much-The braided boy's voice came in, "You can help us find her and we can do all the necessary clean up." Plain as day, they could see he was trying to betray his emotions about Katrina.  
  
Of course Duo wasn't ready to admit to that. And neither Wufei or Heero wanted him to do so.  
  
"You got suits?" Trowa inquired.  
  
"Not the best suits, but suits nevertheless."  
  
"Then it's settled." He said with his usual light tone returining, they witnessed the first real smile Duo gave in three days, "The Great Destroyer's back in business!"  
  
m  
  
"Sadiq!"  
  
"Great, whose this?"  
  
"Sadiq!" Relena ran out onto the dirt streets chasing after yet another hard-headed young man.  
  
The twelve-year old wearing a T-shirt and cotton shorts stopped in the middle of the market amiss the merchants pedaling their wares and the other teens matching off to training. The older girl caught up with him catching her breath.  
  
Sadiq merely huffed his disapproval, "So why did you come after me?"  
  
"I wanted to talk to you."  
  
"You're really gonna stay and fight huh?"  
  
"I can't fight the way my friends fight yet I too strive for peace."  
  
"Another day, another battle, and the beat goes on."  
  
"They're helping your father."  
  
"Helping him kill, I don't like it." He responded, tone fading to sadness, Relena placed a steady hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I know there are so many other ways to achieve peace, my friends on the other hand seem to think otherwise. Fighting with their hands is the only way they know how."  
  
"Then how do YOU fight?"  
  
Relena made sure he could see straight through her, "With my mind."  
  
m  
  
Raphael took the six into his tiny yet comfortable estate near the Nile waters for the week.  
  
Relena and the boys were given room and board in exchange for their aid only. Raphael's proud nature warned not to offer anything more so they did all they could to help out-the boys train with the other kids while Relena was left in the care of Sadiq and his three aunts.  
  
Sitting around and doing nothing made her feel useless, she could take another lecture or fight from Heero these days . . . Maybe he did care about her if he was willing to bite her head off about her actions . . . and the women of the house wouldn't even let her raise her pinky finger.  
  
"I shouldn't be sitting here doing nothing-I must fight somehow."  
  
"You can't leave this place, OZ soldiers are here prowling like lions, they want blood. People get taken everyday . . ." Even thought the guys-other than Duo in his all his off time-put off finding Relena was still searching for Katrina, grilling all the locals with her tiredness questions about the spy. Today, Sadiq's words sparked her idle interest. "Taken? Who was taken?"  
  
"I saw this lady get taken wearing a Baset's amulet."  
  
It sounded so familiar, "Baset?"  
  
"Our Lady, the Gooddess, Guardian of cats."  
  
Baset . . . She thought . . . Cat, our Kat had one . . . "This necklace-" Something struck Relena. "This Baset necklace wouldn't happened to be made of black and gold? Very expensive looking?"  
  
"Expensive looking? Hah, lady that came from the very walls of Egypt herself."  
  
Her heart jumped, she could be getting somewhere, "Describe her then, do you remember her?"  
  
"She has the blood of an Egyptian, I saw her skin, but she was dressed like an American."  
  
"Tall, dark-skinned, hair in a ponytail? In some wild outfit?" The catsuit always was funny to her.  
  
"Y-yyyyyyyyeah . . ." He brightened, "But I didn't see a ponytail. Maybe you're mistaken."  
  
"Or maybe I'm right about her! Quick, where did they take her?" Relena shook him.  
  
"I don't know lady!"Sadiq shook her grip off, "These other women put her in a limo and drove off in one direction." Relena started to put the pieces togther, if they found Kat then she could help the Gundams, she formatted the disk before to save them, her escape could've been another way of helping. She wasn't a dishonest thief, Katrina Nyle was her friend, someone who knew the real Relena. They shared things about each other, having a bond only women could have.  
  
Instantly she began rummaging the drawers that contained her summer clothing.  
  
"What's that direction?"  
  
"Pharaoh's castle. Everybody knows that one, it stands at the Nile." Sadiq answered in smugness. "Then that's where I'm going."With a pen she scribbled a quick note explaining herself then took the bundle stuffed with make-up and an outfit but the boy jumped in front, blocking her from leaving the guest room. "You can't go lady."  
  
She narrowed her eyes, "Oh really? Who told you that?"  
  
"The guy with the messy hair." He stated simply.  
  
Heero: Being overprotective again.  
  
"Well tell him he's just gonna have to deal with it. I'm making my own decisions-it's not your fault." The boy was determined-and very unnerved by the pilot's words this morning.  
  
"He said he'll kill me if I even let your feet touch on the sand."  
  
"Then tell Heero Yuy he'll have just have to do it. I'll be touching a lot of sand."  
  
"But-but lady!"  
  
He remained fixed in his place, "You're not going."  
  
"Oh yeas . . . I am."  
  
She pushed him in her closet and locked it tight, then bounced on her way out the door.  
  
m  
  
Missing.  
  
The room was quieter than Pharaoh's tomb.  
  
"Relena." He growled through teeth.  
  
The note said I'm going after Katrina.  
  
Nosies were coming from the closet.  
  
"Sadiq?"  
  
"Mmm-mmm-mmmmm-" Wufei snatched the duck tape from his lips.  
  
"OWWW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" The boy snapped wresting in his bounds.  
  
"Where's Relena?"  
  
"She locked me in the closet then ran out."  
  
"Sadiq?"  
  
"Then what happened to the car, it's missing."  
  
"Someone stole it?!?"  
  
"NO! She probably took it!"  
  
"Dammmit."  
  
"Great, there are two women missing."  
  
"Where was she headed?"  
  
"She-she said she was looking for someone, some Egyptian-looking lady who was kidnaped-"  
  
"Katrina?" Duo and Heero said at the same time.  
  
"I mean she's here?" Quatre asked.  
  
"I don't know! All I know was that these people took her then that other lady started questioning me then she tied me up and pushed me in. I try to stop her!"  
  
m  
  
"Well, well, well! The Fly Boyz are here to party up!"  
  
The commander of this deployment felt his nerves shot, damn spies were annoying him.  
  
"Then send out the Leos."  
  
"They said . . . I killed . . . my own sister."  
  
"Ohhhh Katrina." Relena hugged her, "I-I never knew."  
  
"I never told you."  
  
"What happended?"  
  
"A gang of guys raped her then they hung her with a phone cord."  
  
"How awful."  
  
"Awwww, how sweet. They're hugging." Erin faked a tear.  
  
"Relena, you're my friend." Stacie mocked.  
  
"Run Relena run!"  
  
m  
  
"The vents are too tight."  
  
"Damn! We can't stay here."  
  
"Get down!"  
  
m  
  
"Shit! It's stuck!"  
  
The computer had this blood red message appear on the screen.  
  
SORRY . . . THE SYSTEM IS AGAINST YOU . . . GOOD BYE.  
  
"Blood for blood, a body for a body."  
  
Stacie kicked Erin's body over, "Well, then, I just take this, I'm sure you won't mind."  
  
m  
  
"You wanna start something?!?" Stacie wasn't something she was knew with but the idea of death struck her for the first time. "I'll kill her Fly Boy! I'll take off her pretty little head just watch me,  
  
JUST WATCH ME-"  
  
Bang.  
  
A lone shot in the dark.  
  
Bang.  
  
It wasn't the gun piercing Heero's heart.  
  
Bang.  
  
The spy's eyes said I'm dead.  
  
Bang.  
  
It wasn't necessary for this last round, blood soaked both their clothing and watered the ground.  
  
Bang.  
  
The Blaque Kat wearing the white dress came out of the fire.  
  
Hair strewed, ginger eyes dead with AK in hand, walking slowly on the roof top toward the Gundam . . . Toward Relena . . . Toward the black sky. 


	4. The Last Standz

The 4th- Last Standz  
  
m m m m  
  
"Death is the coward's way out so that makes me a coward. You only kill the cowards don't ya?"  
  
That made her stop, she looked ruefully at her scars.  
  
The pilots eyed her.  
  
"Then kill me now! You got the motive and the means. I'm taking up valuable space."  
  
Her voice crackled, "I'm nothing but an annoyance . . ."  
  
Were those tears, Duo asked himself, the springs weren't being tugged but snatched in his heart.  
  
"COLLEEN SHOULD'VE BEEN HERE NOT ME!"  
  
A banshee flew toward her way, the nightmare vision that was Rachael Silas.  
  
"I'LL PUT YOU IN YOUR GLASS COFFIN!"  
  
They fell of the bridge plunging into the water, the fall sending pain shooting through the bodies, the Nile made sustain life but it was eattting away the last part of Kat remaining.  
  
Her mind was gone along with her heart so the only thing there was her battered body.  
  
"KATRINA!" They found themselves yelling.  
  
Rachael held her face down, hoping to drown her.  
  
"You wanna know why I did it!?! I hated the little brat and you too: You trusted me enough to think I actually wanted to help you. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids."  
  
The kat tripped up the byrd suddenly coughing and hacking up water.  
  
"So . . . that . . . justifies taking . . . an innocence child's . . . life!" Katrina decked in the jaw, Rachel slipped back in the silt at the bottom. "She knew too much. She caused the downfall of Blaque and you killed us with it!" Looming over the fallen form Kat felt the need to tell her.  
  
To make her fell what she was feeling for three years.  
  
"We were fucked up before we got here! We used to be C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N. We had lives, we had hopes and dreams, not a horror in a black outfit. I'm 15 dammit, I should be a kid!"  
  
Rachael released a scream and attack Kat even harder, her strength was felling and her counterpart was drained, the raven wanted to beat her down-make her go away.  
  
The cat was another plague, another plague upon her soul. "I took Blaque to live."  
  
The ginger brows met the obscure gray ones, she used to be so sweet.  
  
"So, I took Blaque to live- for my sister."  
  
And Rachael loathed her for it:  
  
Katrina had a carefree life, Katrina had her family, the princess ballerina even had her glass coffin.  
  
"Then you're NOT doing a very good job of it. You're making your final stand!"  
  
The raven slammed the feline's back into the silver water, continuing to drown her former best friend and Blaque Kat . . .  
  
"THIS IS WHERE THE CURTAIN FALLS KATRINA!  
  
SAY GOOD NIGHT PRINCESS BALLERINA!"  
  
She springs up out of water like the madwoman she had become.  
  
"CATS HATE WATER!"  
  
The rage made her snap, her hands made a S-n-snap!  
  
Broken wing, broken neck.  
  
The Latina started back eyes full of Death, taking her under, her grave her resting place.  
  
Rachael fell dead.  
  
She arose, clothes and hair pasted to her skin . . . Breathing heavy as a weight, the water whispered everything was over with Blaque.  
  
The spy Katrina died with Rachael-she saw too much in those mirrors: Parents, sister, friends true and alleged, the pilots, life, herself . . . A long, eerie witch cackle was released from the feline's throat. "Told ya' I hate water."  
  
Suddenly the thundering of an explosion blasted her ears.  
  
m  
  
"The water stops here!" Heero yelled back to Relena.  
  
"What!?! No way!" Relena ran faster . . . faster . . . faster . . . trying to catch up with his fleeing form . . . . It just couldn't end like this . . . . She had to fight . . . They had to fight . . . Even Kat.  
  
"Damn." Her cursed under his breath, that crazy spy really was dead.  
  
"Then she's gone!" Relena refused to swallow this truth, Katrina had to live, she just had to.  
  
"OH GOD!" A heap of sobs caused her to fall into his arms, taking even him by surprise. "She was trying to save us, save us all! I don't care what any of you say, she was a good person!"  
  
He attempted to find a way to soften the blow. "Maybe she had to die."  
  
Then Relena decided to really give him a piece of her mind.  
  
"You know what Heero Yuy, you make me sick , you wanted her to die!" Pushing away, he got a shoulder colder than his eyes. He rubbed the temples at his forehead, some close yet so far away.  
  
"Relena, that's not it."  
  
"Then WHAT is?"  
  
He never did get the chance to answer because they were rocked by an explosion.  
  
m  
  
Run stupid.  
  
The wind commanded her legs, over the sand Katrina sprinted, it couldn't be HIM, not HIM, not the reason she escape to Egypt in the first place. "Please don't take Maximilian . . . "  
  
Her task wasn't completed, she needed forgiveness, she needed her sleep.  
  
A sand storm blocked out all sight-where was he, where was she going, where was her reason?  
  
Blinded by it, the cold and damp cat was slowed down to a crawl thorough the high winds and flying particles . . . . She kept cursing herself for not dying like a good little kitty cat in the first place . . . . But noooooo, she was doing it to herself again . . . Death wasn't the way out, the easy way maybe, but it wasn't her way no matter how much bullshit she filled her head with.  
  
It was too dark and too quiet . . . He wasn't that quiet.  
  
Find him.  
  
A part asked why should she? All of the Gundams wanted the spy dead.  
  
Well duh stupid, you are in love with him, you'll never forgive yourself, blasé, blasé.  
  
"I hate you." She grumbled to no one in particular.  
  
I know you too well . . . . A dark form lied there in the sandy mist.  
  
So he called himself the God of Death . . . he was holding true to his namesake not making in movement. Kat had to swallow her heart before she reached out to him.  
  
Cold.  
  
More so than her former Blaque or the boy with the Prussian blues or the water Rachael rested in.  
  
Was she ever gonna sleep?  
  
"Not him . . . you were suppose to take me . . ." She whispered, "Don't be dead please . . ."  
  
She continued to beseech.  
  
"DON'T BE DEAD!"  
  
m  
  
His head ache in the worst way-the cracking sound and the crimson tide on his collar told him this way something really uncool occurred- while the indestructible (or that's what he believed) Death Scythe was being eaten by greedy flames, the computer system fried itself and blew up in his face.  
  
Well, this was pleasant.  
  
There he was fated to bleed to death and now he was hallucinating that he heard a sugar sweet voice calling his name, calling him, calling him.  
  
"DUO! WHERE ARE YOU? IT'S ME! DON'T BE DEAD!"  
  
"Kat . . . Katrina?"  
  
"Dou! Come on you fool! Wake up!"  
  
A groan escaped from his throat. It was all hazy, so very hazy, another dark haired, dark-skinned angel was gazing at him. Wait a minute, he tried sitting up, there was only one.  
  
"Heyyyyy . . Yelling in my ear is soooo uncool . . . I don't know why you're . . . .Whoa, where are your clothes?"  
  
Why don't you just tell her?  
  
Tell her what?  
  
You know what I mean.  
  
"Even in a stupor you got jokes." But it came out with a sun smile.  
  
"What happened Kat?"  
  
She touched his face, putting some closeness between them, "L-o-n-g story."  
  
The tone bittered, "I got a feeling you'll be telling us plenty of them Kat."  
  
Her smile faded. Not that she didn't see this coming.  
  
"Get up before you became my last or I'm not explaining this if you don't when I get back."  
  
His head fell in her lap, "Good to see you too."  
  
Katrina was the one to wake up not Duo.  
  
The room wasn't her former prison, it had a 'belonging' feel to its whitewashed walls, she was alone in the bed . . . a well-defined lump changed that. She bolted up.  
  
"Dammit. That's it! I'm kicking the bottle!" Her voice hissed in the dark.  
  
Kat promptly received a smack from her own hand, "Ok, Kat, calm down here-you've waken up in a bed by strange men before . . . OH God, I haven't even touch a wine cooler in two weeks!"  
  
"Stop brawling and go back to sleep. You're not drunk, you fighting off a week of straight fatigue." Someone was taping away at a keyboard, the ill-fated disks sitting next to its terminal.  
  
"Relena's ready to nail you down into bed if you have a change of plans."  
  
"Relena? You mean, she made it?" The girl looked up from her hands. "I can't stay here."  
  
"Woman, are you insane or just plain stupid."  
  
It was a new voice, Wufei was leaning against the wall watching Heero search the disks.  
  
"Do I get a choice of which?"  
  
"We have questions for you Katrina Felicia Nyle, or should I be addressing you by alias Blaque Kat of Project Tails, under the protection of OZ."  
  
She felt mildly impressed, odd reaction, "So you found out. Wow, you wanna cookie for that?"  
  
"Not unless it's chocolate chip."  
  
"Little smartass-" She cursed low then she raised her voice, "I'm still not dead, so why not kill me? Be froggy enough to jump."  
  
"Information. Nothing more. At first, I thought you dead but you're not-you're running your mouth aren't you?"  
  
"People expect me to do something so I always hit 'em with an 180."  
  
He stopped and faced her, eyes glowing. "You don't deserve your life."  
  
She threw off the covers and rose slowly. "And you don't deserve Relena."  
  
Heero headed toward the door, "Let Trowa take over for the watch after you leave."  
  
"Watch?"Her rubbery legs wouldn't hold her so she held onto a tall dresser in the room.  
  
Wufei closed the door softy. "Making sure you don't endanger the others, woman, or yourself."  
  
"I'm not a danger . . . and I don't need a babysitter."  
  
"What you need to do is shut up and sit down before that death wish comes true." He warned.  
  
"Why don't I give you the finger and call it a night?"  
  
A sound from the computer diverted their attention in this tense moment.  
  
A blood read message appeared on the screen:  
  
SORRY . . . THE SYSTEM IS AGAINST YOU . . . GOOD BYE.  
  
"What the-"  
  
"Awww HELLL, BOY GET DOWN!"  
  
Relena was curled up on the couch too exhausted to watch over Katrina this night.  
  
At the sound of footsteps she stirred and called the girl by name.  
  
"No, this isn't Katrina."  
  
"Heero?" She sat up, hair messy and eyes full of sleep.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The girl stared at the floor . . . . Expect the unexpected.  
  
"He's dead, isn't he? I mean, we didn't get along but I-I didn't want him to really die."  
  
He put his arm around her, "The doctor said he's has a slim to nothing chance, but knowing that crazy American he'll probably pull through."  
  
"You don't want him to die?" She begged him, "Please say you don't."  
  
"If I wanted him dead, I would've strangled him up with that stupid braid myself."  
  
For some reason she allowed herself to laugh.  
  
"Katrina isn't up is she?"  
  
He snorted, he was still sensing the blows his ego took, no doubt about Katrina saw right through him. Damn spy he thought, nothing alike yet they had some common threads between them: Dedication, tempers, suicidal persona, somebody they loved deeply . . .  
  
"I mean, she tried to take all those sleeping pills and was determined to die by his side . . ."  
  
"Let's not talk about Katrina right now, how are you doing?"  
  
The question brought her up short.  
  
"Heero-" She started but he placed a finger to her lips.  
  
"She's not the one I'm worried about."  
  
"DON'T YOU GET IT MAN!" The feline screamed.  
  
The small explosion stopped everything, disrupting everyone in the estate.  
  
Footsteps pounded toward the smoking room littered with debris, Wufei and Katrina were on the floor coughing. "What in hell?" Raphael came in, accessing the damage. Sadiq and his aunts crowded to the halls while the pilots squeezed through the tiny door.  
  
"It's a virus."  
  
"A virus?" He was taken aback. "A weak computer virus blew up the whole damn thing!?!"  
  
"It's not some ordinary annoyance." Duo stepped out the shadows. "How do you think Death Scythe blew up? Magic? It fried my system then caused it to self-destruct-with me locked in it." Katrina felt her jaw drop, his words were directed toward her-worse than a spinning dagger.  
  
"How did you get out?" Trowa wondered.  
  
"The little green men decided to help me." She felt the bitterness cut in her from that remark.  
  
"I had to start playing around with the wiring before I got burned to a crisp. It blew when I was jumping out. I got thrown like a piece of trash across the sand."  
  
"But how did the computer blow up? How did a virus get in here?" Relena questioned.  
  
Kat stated, "Ask your Lover Boy over there, I was going to take the toys away from him."  
  
"You knew about this?" Quatre demanded. Wufei had just one more reason to kill her . . .  
  
"You people shouldn't be so damn quick to judge. I came to Egypt not only to save you five ingrates but I had to get rid of all the disk-they weren't just data on you, they were the way you were going to be killed. The system is against you, OZ's system, a system I had NO knowledge until my lovely Blaque sisters told me. I pissed them off for stopping the virus that time but I didn't know about the backups until they decided to share it with me-while I was going out of my mind literally." Heero's tone cut through.  
  
"Maybe we should be the ones to judge . . . What in the hell do we know about you Katrina?  
  
You did it to keep your head above water, cats like mischief but never to get their paws dirty."  
  
"I don't have explain myself-" Misunderstood, that's me isn't it . . .  
  
"Then do what you do best," Duo added flatly, "Run."  
  
Run away and don't come back. I can't stand to look at you, look at what you're doing to me-you keep in hurting me. Katrina Nyle is only out for herself-lying, cheating, and manipulating your way through life-that's your take on life.  
  
m  
  
"Once in awhile you get tired of running."  
  
Everyone was sitting around in the living listening to Katrina, the consensus was to let her speak then decided action later-they had no clue what the virus was, who the Kat really was, or what could be done. The idea of asking her for any help bruised their prides.  
  
"It becomes pointless. Shamed my parents."  
  
She took another sip of straight black coffee hoping to wake up-lack of sleep has an effect.  
  
"I've been leaving everyone with questions and no answers here."  
  
No one answered-they really didn't know how.  
  
"My bad on that one, you'll rather hear this from me when I'm sober than after three straight shots of gin rummy and Tequila . . ." Well, it's your funeral. She told herself.  
  
"See a spy wasn't born, they're made. After the Alliance decided to clean house with my parents, I had to wander the streets alone, just me and Colleen for six months. Then Angela came. Fill my pretty little head with all sorts of ideas like knowing only one way to live and how to get a lil' payback. Only problem was I was too naive to figure this out-Can't stand the heat, get out the kitchen." She asked herself, "But then I loved the heat, I liked the fire, I like the idea that I control somebody's life like they did mine-I could get away with murder untouched."  
  
There was this coy cruel cold smile floating on her face.  
  
"Reason Number One: Look out for yourself, don't have feelings."  
  
The words were taken in thoughtfully, it rung true in their ears.  
  
"But then there was Colleen, she was the one person I had to live for . . . don't any of you have somebody like that? I know you do, we're all the same here. You think I don't see things or feel pain?" Duo wanted to close the widening gap between them but something planted him.  
  
"I found out things while I was Blaque, everybody's secrets and skeletons, but they knowing mine? I wouldn't have it. I lived alone in my cage, just me and an eight-year-old. Two lives-  
  
The Great Pretender and the Keeper of All Secrets-were going at the same time."  
  
She held up two fingers: "Reason Number Two: You kill anybody who knows too much."  
  
Ginger browns glowed in the dark. "I should be dead but something stops it-not for Collie.  
  
She fell victim . . . she knew too much.  
  
The disks were top secret. Any good spy or hacker knew they existed, where nobody knew.  
  
Angie knew. The mission I accepted was to get the disks, deliver them with information only.  
  
I wasn't going to put a bullet in anybody!" She laughed, "I was just doing my job."  
  
Relena shot the five pointed looks, straight from the horse's mouth.  
  
"Why did they try to kill you?" Quatre asked in the silence.  
  
"I betrayed their trust, like they were so righteous. Factor in jealous, fear, greed, anger . . .  
  
"So as you all can see I'm just so darn lovable. That's why people want me dead. I wanted out after burying Collie. My life was hell, thirteen and crazy-that was mean. I discovered five or the seven deadly sins. Major in car jacking, computer hacking, and the occasional firearm use."  
  
They saw a third finger: "Reason Number Three: Blaque was for life.  
  
The tone got darker and darker . . . .  
  
"Death was the easy way . . . Why do you think my life became so cheap. But, I'm still breathing: Why kill me when you can make me weak? Reason Number Five: You eliminate a threat by attacking a weakness."  
  
"A weakness?" Trowa questioned, "You mean your sister."  
  
"Actually I meant that . . ." She pointed in the direction a mirror.  
  
"Myself. I became my own weakness."  
  
The feline was mee with blank stares.  
  
"You never seen me look into a mirror . . . Well, have you?" They agreed that no one had.  
  
"Ok then, there's your answer."  
  
Duo wasn't satisfied with the response, "So you don't like mirrors, big whoop."  
  
I have this phobia, really rare but fatal, it's a thing about mirrors-Anything I see one, I break it.  
  
"I spent six mouths in the nut house to get over it but as you all know-" She showed the group her scars again- the old ones and the fresh-on her arms, legs, and back. "It amounted to nothing."  
  
To Wufei it still made no sense, "Woman, what does anything of this have to do with us?"  
  
"Ugh!" She smacked her in the head, "Which part of the tale DON'T YOU understand?  
  
My torrid past comes back to haunt me so I'm trying to prevent history from repeating baka!  
  
Am I using too many bing words?" He narrowed his eyes, resisting the urge to fly across the room. "Talk is cheap." She ended, "Story time is over kiddies. You'll never get me."  
  
Katrina had a determined expression chiseled into her face.  
  
"But I will do this-you're all getting out of Egypt and winning this war . . . my way."  
  
m  
  
The stolen cherry Porsche rammed through the barriers.  
  
Relena's mirrored sunglasses checked the rear-view mirrors, "Your 'friends' are still after us.  
  
Got anything else to give them?"  
  
Katrina continued to reload the double pump. "I got the perfect thing!"  
  
Sadiq yelled to the two girls, "We gotta get to the base fast! They're gaining on us!"  
  
Security guards with motorcycles and jeeps were chasing them, rounds of bullets were evident in the doors. The green sunglasses wearing brown-eyed creature sported a simple shirt and shorts as their driver had, no teasing for the day she had been told, they had to get in and get out.  
  
The feline's ammunition had been reduced to one box, sitting ducks if they didn't move.  
  
Sadiq was busy holding on the 'present', Relena terrorized the streets of Cairo since she had the wheel, and Katrina stood up in the back ready for another game. A headphone set had been connected to the communication system in the 02 so they could keep up with each other.  
  
The guys and the Geminis-Raphael's own suits-were holding the Leos back from the city walls miles from the military base.  
  
"You guys should be the ones having tea and cookies with our buddies back here."  
  
Seconds later, a transmission came back: "Get the present delivered Nyle!" Duo screamed, the sounds of the battle were in the background-bangs, blows, mortal cries, metal flying.  
  
"I don't want any de-ja vus!"  
  
"Just remember guys, we're not in Kansas anymore."  
  
"Thank you Dorothy, now could get this done with the Scarecrow and your little dog too?"  
  
"The next bullet is for your ass, Duo Maxwell."  
  
"Girl, you know what that does to me."  
  
"Sicko."  
  
"You know it."  
  
Relena checked the mirrors for any smoking vehicles, Katrina was purposely aiming for the gas tanks so they could blow. "Well, they're gone."  
  
"Bastet smiles upon us, she protects you dear lady!" Sadiq cheered, "You're a true fighter!"  
  
Katrina gave him a thin smile as she slumped down in the seat.  
  
"I used to be a lot of things. That's why people don't know me . . ."  
  
She gently ran her fingers through her unruly locks. What she in, a daze, a trance?  
  
"I don't even know myself. Ain't that a damn shame?"  
  
Relena responded to the girl's comments.  
  
"Katrina, I know you're a good person and can be forgiven, people actually do care about . . .  
  
But for the moment Stop feeling sorry for yourself feline and help us!"  
  
A sigh escaped then she remembered why she was fighting.  
  
"Oh yeahhhhh, we're all here to play . . ."  
  
A solider informed her superior: "Sir, all systems are down!"  
  
"Down?!? Down how Smith?" A middle-aged Egyptian general stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"A car hit the generators, it cut the utilities to every sections-a chain reaction of some kind.  
  
All the computers shut down immediately after . . . . And there's an incoming call of a security breech. Three civilians have forcible entered the downstair at the front desks."  
  
"A damn automobile can't do this!" The man screamed, "I want a full, detail report of whatever the hell is going on. A blackout and a break-in can't be happening at the same time."  
  
"We think it was a computer error."  
  
"Computer error, what type of bull is that! Get the backup generators going and move out!  
  
Find the intruders and get this place back in order."  
  
"Aww, did I break it?" A voice cut through the frenzy of the control room. "My bad."  
  
"State yourself civilian, we have this place surrounded!"  
  
"Sorry, we can't stay, we're only here to bear gifts."  
  
The woman gave her superior a questioning look, "Gifts sir?"  
  
"What is she talking about . . . ?" He growled under his breath.  
  
BREAK THE SYSTEM . . . THE BLAQUE KAT SAYS GOOD NIGHT.  
  
TO OZ WITH LOVE :)  
  
"This would be a good time to run . . ."  
  
The meltdown was occurring.  
  
Katrina noted mentally as the virus was downloading into the system . . . 55% down, 45 to go.  
  
Vandalizing control room, Sadiq and Relena weren't paying attention, they had to ensure the base was totally incapacitated of catching up to them . . . Lights started flashing "code red."  
  
Several explosives had to be activated in the process.  
  
Grabbing the briefcase with the cash, one master disk, and plane tickets, Katrina told them:  
  
"Ok, we should run."  
  
Sadiq and Relena came down the walk in a flash, "We're blowing this joint now, Katrina!"  
  
She threw him the briefcase and a nasty look, "Wow you just noticed that! Go!"  
  
"After them!" Rough voices were heard on the other side.  
  
The chase was (still) on.  
  
The trio made their way to the parking garage at the bottom level and 'borrowed' two motorcycles, Sadiq drove this time taking Relena with him, Katrina following.  
  
Duo's voice could be heard in the headphones as they bolted for the doors leading to the outside.  
  
"Blow it then before you get blown. I mean it Kat . . ." His tone dropped, "Do die on me yet."  
  
She smiled to herself, "Have I let you down?"  
  
She checked her watch for the figures, 75% completed, 25% to go, she started doing sixty.  
  
"Hit the gas Sadiq, Time waits for no man!"  
  
"What does that mean!?!"Relena asked, they still had to get to his father's estate but not in a rush.  
  
The explosives made the very pretty noon sky shine. The neo SORRY had caused OZ's defense system in the base to defend them, the base had exploded taking anyone remaining with it.  
  
They all felt the heat from the explosion. "Any more questions!" The feline's eyes blazed.  
  
Sadiq began to catch up with her.  
  
It felt like a ten minute tug-of-war between them and the air, Life and Death.  
  
"Pull her up! Pull her up!" The sandy blonde kept demanding, help Quatre, Trowa, Duo, and Heero attempt to pull Katrina up into the plane . . . . Sadiq had to get home so the trio had split up as they managed to escape the last of the soldiers, the boy took and side street and was out of sight. But their motorcycles plunged into the cold waters of the Nile leaving the two ladies to sink or swim, lucky their location was found before they had to choose option number two.  
  
"Hold . . On . . . Miss Nyle, hold on." Qutre growled through his teeth, her skin was too wet.  
  
"You're not falling on me Katrina!"  
  
The idea of dangling a hundred feet in the air didn't appeal to the feline.  
  
Heights were not her friend and what cat from this height could land on her feet?  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut, blinding yelling, "Hello, I'm s-l-i-p-p-i-n-g!"  
  
Heero though to himself, why don't we just push you out? But no, she was Relena's friend.  
  
"Quit your bawling . . ." He spat out, "Keep your gripppppppppppp."  
  
With their might combined they dragged her inside, bolting the door behind them.  
  
Katrina allowed her to collapse in Duo's arms, everyone was trying to catch their breath and stop their hearts from racing-course every day had to be a thriller with the cat.  
  
The cockpit was suddenly dark and no one made a sound.  
  
"Mad at me?"  
  
She couldn't resist joking at her own expense when it came to her life-or near end.  
  
"I should kill you." But he said it with a smile big as day.  
  
"Join the club."  
  
"Don't tempt me.Damn you woman, why are you messing with my head like this?  
  
That's so uncool."  
  
Her eyes couldn't hide how touch she felt."What you're not flying off the hinges? Exactly how hard did you hit your head that night?"  
  
He shrugged, "Hard enough." Then a devilish grin played it upon his face, "To do this . . . "  
  
Encircling her in his strong arms, he kissed her sweetly-tongue, throat, and teeth.  
  
Thank God it's too dark to see anything the others mused in their heads, Relena had her smile.  
  
"What should I call this? A last kiss?"  
  
"Are you leaving me then feline? What is this to you-a hello or a goodbye?"  
  
"I'm not leaving. Ever." Can't keep running away . . .  
  
"Good, then I'm staying along for the ride."  
  
"You two bakas, don't make me sick." Wufei interrupted the "tender moment" while trying to keep the plane in the air, there were enough distractions alone from Relena and Heero.  
  
She looked at her neck, "Told 'ya Bastet does a good job."  
  
Then slipped her necklace around his neck.  
  
"What's this for?"  
  
"Even the Bearer of Death demands protection." Then she added, "Lose it and lose the braid."  
  
He gave her a wry smile, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."  
  
The day was dying over the horizon, fading into dark night.  
  
"Can I sleep now Duo?"  
  
"Yes, yes you may." Her head fell on his chest, "Good night, feline."  
  
"Good night, Maximilian." She breathed.  
  
Somewhere in Jamaica . . .  
  
Trowa stood in front of Katrina shaking her.  
  
The feline bolted up, "W-w-what?"  
  
"Katrina Nyle, somebody sent you a message. It's standing outside."  
  
I had it with the damn messages. "Tell them to go away."  
  
"The message said shooing her away like a fly won't work."  
  
Those ginger browns narrowed, "Then tell them I'm dead."  
  
She was met with a scold in his emerald green eyes, no wonder he crept her out.  
  
"Fine . . . This was a she right? Indian chick with cropped hair." He nodded. "At least it's some insane ex, hell now I gotta see her."  
  
Katrina stood up pulling her messy locks back into its trademark death scythes. She vowed:  
  
"But I won't stay."  
  
Trowa stepped by to let her pass as she began to leave but stopped midway.  
  
"Shouldn't you be squealing on me, like you know, to the other two Fly Boyz?"  
  
"Well Duo's too drugged up to care and Heero's attention is somewhere else."  
  
"To be so quiet you're a smart man. What do you think?" She blurted out, "Wait a minute . . .  
  
Do you ever think?"  
  
She got a hint of a smile. "I think you know what you're doing just as I know what I'm doing."  
  
Her eyes widen, "Ok that's like whoa-did you just smile?"  
  
"Did I?"  
  
"Ok, I'm walking out n-o-w, this is gettin' weird." Katrina started backing up toward the door, her tone went from humor to seriousness. "You betta get back before 'our friends' wake up."  
  
Trowa started to walk toward the rooms, "Take care to do the same."  
  
He was telling her to stay . . . she considered his words before walking into the cool midnight air. The trees were dancing, menacing her with their marred fingers, then there was light.  
  
A black Lexus pulled up in front of Katrina.  
  
The window rolled down slowly revealing the taunt face of Angela Livingstone, the infamous Blaque herself, the little black dress complimenting her slim frame. Over the dark glasses, her inky orbs shined like the onyx in the Bastet charm giving her an ominous quality.  
  
"Haven't stayed out of trouble eh?" Her naive accent carried the words  
  
"How did you find me?"  
  
"Ahhhh . . . Forgotten that Blaques can find anything. You need to brush up dear."  
  
"I couldn't find my sanity, a reason to live, and any peace. Need I say more?"  
  
"I found out the-fates-of Rachael, Erin, and Ling. You killed them."  
  
"They blackmailed me, beat me up, tried to kill my only real friends, and robbed me straight blind. Yeah, Angela, can't you feel the love?" Angie suppressed her urge to smile at her rebel pupil.  
  
The woman threw the door open. Jumping out to met her dead gaze, form in heels towering.  
  
"The Blaques are mine to deal with, you sisters were my problem."  
  
"Don't even honor them with the title." The feline spat out, disgusted with the person who made this all possible. Crack! The Blaque suddenly slapped her in face, pain numbing the Kat's cheek.  
  
"The ballerina's suppose to be dead. I had to force you to quit looking at the world with your rose-colored glasses and face a damn cruel reality, you tried r-u-n-n-i-n-g forever but can you?  
  
You still worry me, Katrina Felicia."  
  
"Maybe THIS will help sleep at night."  
  
She threw her former catsuit in Angie's face-the Blaque's mark.  
  
Angie held it like a withered flower, gingerly and careful, "What's this for?"  
  
"I'm out. Blaque Kat is no more. Blaque dies with me."  
  
Angie snatched her by the arm. "It'll NEVER DIE." Voice fierce, the inky orbs burned oil.  
  
Katrina pushed her into the door, holding her by the neck there, "It . . . just . . . did."  
  
A new gleam played in the ginger brows, could it be-love? This charade made her sick so without another word the at stalked away in her anger, recovering her cool the Indian yelled suddenly.  
  
"I know why you're doing this and he's not worth it, they're your demise. You can own this world, you have the money and the disks, you got the fire!" The girl stopped in her tracks.  
  
"I'll cause you hell. You're mine forever, I made you Blaque. Walking away won't be so easy."  
  
Angie watched the girl absorbed the threat-she only had one person in mind, "I knew it wouldn't."  
  
"Just remember whose bitch you are."  
  
Angie never saw her again after she said this, or the person watching them: "Yeah . . ."  
  
The former cat had a cherished smile, "Mine own." 


End file.
